The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-27
The FRUIT
OF VIRGINIA.
That Industry IS of Great
Value to the State.
FIGURES ON THE SUBJECT
The Production Of Apples in Some OF
the Fruit = Growing Counties.
One Crop that Was Sold
for $4,000.
FIGURES ON THE SUBJECT

virginia's fruit exhibit promises to be
tho feature Of the States showing OF It's
products at st. Louis next year. Ger
tainly 1t will rival the mineral EXHIBIT LOT
precedence among the valuable products
to be shown to the assembled word IN
this greatest OF the worlds expositlons.
Commissioner Koiner, who Is also tho
State Commissioner of Agriculture, -
taking especial Interest In this phase OF
tho States exhibit at st. Louis. Colonel
A. NJ. Bowman, another commissioner,
and Superintendent George e. Murrcii
nre both actively engaged In fruit grow.
Ing, and are among the most successIul
III the State
Mr. Murrell has gone on tour OF the
great fruit counties Of the state 70 pc
gin the work Of securing tho finest snow
Ing OF orchard products Virginia mas
ever made, not excepting that ut farls
and Buffalo and other expositlons where
Virginia apples were adjudged the best
shown The opportunity to make fine
exhibit is afforded by the fact that tho
Virginia crop this year is one or the
frcst ever gathered, and the latest gov
eminent report on fruit conditions In the
States placed this State among the high
est in average condition. Mr.. Murrell
will select the finest specimens to be
found In the great fruit growing centers
Of Virginia, and will ship them to this
city, where they will be wrapped IN pa
per and placed in cold storage until the
time comes for exposing the luscious
fruit to the admirng gaze OF the world.
FRUIT INTERESTS.
The fruit interests OF Virginia are far
greater In value and Importance than
n.any people realize. and though yet In
their infancy and capable OF great de-
velopment are already fast growing in
Importance and money value. In 1888
Virginia produced ten million bushels OF
apples and eight million bushels OF
peaches. The figures on this years crop
Will largely exceed those for 1899. In
this connection 1t may be Of interest TO
name few of the great fruit growing
counties and state the production OF APP
pies and peaches grown therein. Abe
marie, the home of the plpp!n, leads In
apple production. with 5000 bushels,
while Frederick leads in peach production,
with a yearly crop OF 10000 bushels
Fairfax excels every other county in the
quantity Of pears grown, the figures be-
Ing q, 600 bushels. Here are a few figures
on apple and peach production BY coun-
ties. the figures given representing
bushels:
Albemarle-Applcs. 10000: peaches. no.
oD
Patrick-App!es. 275.c0o peaches, 1000.
Augusta-Apples, $4,000: peaches. 5000.
Bedford-Apples, $4,000; peaches. 5000.
Nelson-Apples 22G,oo0; peaches 1000.
Rockingham = pples, 22s,ooo; peaches.
5000.
Franklin-Apples. $1,000; peaches, 6sooo.
Rappahannock-Apples 10000; peaches.
$1,000.
Frederick-Apples, 1872 600; peaches, 1Go.-
600.
Floyd-Apples, 1900: peaches, 10000.
Carrol-Apples, $4,000: peaches. 1000.
Botetourt-Apples, 1900; peaches, 1o5.-
600.
Roanoke-Apples. 1900: peaches. $4,000.
Pittsylvania-Apples $4,000: peaches,
eoooO.
Observation-Disclosures. 1900: peaches,
Washington-Apples 15l,po; peaches.
2200O.
Rockbrdge-Apples 10000 peaches,
81. 900.
pears. 27.O0.
Among the pictures that will form part
of the Virginia exhibit Is one OF Jacob
Bowman's York Imperial apple orchard,
near Arbor Hill, Augusta county. which
IN 1901 averaged thirteen bushels OF
picked apples to a tree, or about $50
barrels to the acre. These trees are
twenty years old now.
The largest single apple orchard In Vir-
Company, near Salem. Roanoke county,
which consists of 5000 trees.
MADE BIG SALE.
The woodrum orchard, in Roanoke
county. has this year sold Its plppn
crop for $4,000.
Among the large orchards in the State
nre the Scott orchard, in Floyd county.
OF 10000 trees; the Whistler orchard, in
Shenandoah. OF 10000 trees.
Many orchards will net their owners
from $4,000 to 5000 for this years crop
These figures, together with the proved
adaptabilty OF the soil in many coun-
ties for apple growing, shows tho enor-
nous possibilities for Virginia in fruit
growing. and the exhibition OF the pro-
duct and the exploiting of achievements
along this line cannot fall to attract
many orchardlsts to this State and to
cause great increase in fruit growing.
Mr. Koner the Commissioner Of Agri-
culture. Is himself interested In fruit
growing to some extent, having realized
the fine possibilities along this line. He
Is doing all he can to nourlsh and de-
yelop this industry. which affords one of
the best of money crops An orchard will
become profitable In six or seven years.
and in ten years apple trees will pay
handsome profits