Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1903-02-20
THE APPLE COUNTRY
Southern Illinois WIN Lead In Pro
duction for This Year.
laaustry Now Oas of the oseAssss %
'sExypt"-Cb~y Countrv Aaoae
VIII Harvest Ovss OAs nnAA-
Mosa Barrels.

There 10 to be = repetition this yenr
of the story Of the going down into
EGYPT" but instead Of going for
corn, as Jo.eph's brethren did Of old.
the people OF northern Illinois will buy
apples Of their southern neighbors,
reports the Chicago Chronicle.
Egypt" is the name given to the
extreme southern portion OF the state
by the more fortunate people OF the
north, and for years the thrifty people
OF tho corn belt have been slyly pok-
ing fun at the Egyptians" but arpAr-
entity that day is over, for with one
county i,ooo.ooo barrels Of apples and
the corn crop almost equal To the CEN
trail section new era has apparently
dawned for nouthern Illinois, One mil
lion barrels Of applesl Large, red ap-
pies whose qualities In the market
make them the peer OF any fruit in the
world. This is the crop of Clay county
for 1900.
With an area exceeding 10000 acres
set to total exceeding 100000 trees,
onc-half of which are bearing thisyear,
tHth iOtNity WV ioikN "Pl'N
orchard md one could imagine himself
In the Garden Of Eden, with apples
enough for Adam and his posterity fer
all time. This immense acreage IL
centered about the little city OF Flora,
the metropolis of the country.
Possibly In a radius Of is miles will
include the greater portion OF the or
chard area The southern Illinois belt
claims $4,000 ncreA scattered over ten
counties, and the one county OF Clay
has more than ons-hnlf this total acre
age.
rhe average age of the apple trees
Ia possibly IL years, and the present
year h the first general crop since tho
trees became of hearing age. The
country seems peculiarly adapted 70
the growing Of an ideal apple tree and
the production Of u perfect apple, Ac-
cording to the beat authorities some
Of the finest orchards In the United
States are located on the outskirts of
the "orchnrd city" ~ Flora 10 com
monty known.
From the eminence just north OF
town may be aeen I, 900 acre. of apple
trees, now loaded with fruit. The va
rieties known In this section nre those
well known in the markets as standard
fruit. Color, favor and keeping quail
ties are the requisites which are need.
ed To give an apple favor In the eyes
OF the bpyer and later please the APP
petite Of n critical people. The Ben
Davis prcdominates, AS To the other
varieties. in proportion Of three TO one
The Jonathan, with its sleek, glossy
coat Of deep red, Is the prime favorite.
These apples bring fancy prices. and
there Ia an unlimited demand for this
splendid variety.
The harvesting OF this enormous
crop ia a problem which the growers
have yet to solve. This IL the hrst
general crop since the trees have
reachcd the age Of maturing and the
handling Of such n vast amount Of fruit
within comparatively short time 10
likely TO tax the abilities of the horti-
culturistx. Preparations are under
way aud everyone is hustling In order
20 meet the rush which is now at hnnd.
One representative ~ large COM
mission Arm said to your correspond
ent the other day that he had pur-
chased $4,000 barrels This means $50
ear loads or fully ten trains Of apples.
The magnitude OF the industry il not
apparent until the hgures are consid-
cred
In order TO cnre for the grades Of
fruit other than first-class nine large
evaporators have been built In this
locality. These plants when running
ut full capacity will fe $1,000 bushels
daily. T,iey are marvel within them
selves. Not only do they dry the body
OF the apple, but the cores and peeling
are also svaporated. and they hnd a
eady market.
These institutions turn out car loads
OF good clean stock and the quality 10
attested by the prices the product
brings in the market. The apple grow
ing industry Is as yet In its infancy, and
those horticulturists OF an optimistic
t4ra " l.lii.5 - X ~al p.,ssiDi.,,ies IN
store for this immediate locality when
later years test the permnnency Of the
business. II has opened up new In
dust ries and quickened the pulse Of a
| section where the wheels Of progress
had not turned for two decades. An
instance IL shown by the location Of
$4,000 cold storage plant In this city
and still another where one OF the
evaporators. when the apple season
was over. used pumpkins and found .
ready market for this fruit.