Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-11-06
APPLES THAT PAY WELL.
Commercial Fruit Farmer Has to Improve
His Quality.

SOtCI Va tbC lCby uO Hlebnls-lc "
vi9or in growth of vine or tree and it,
productiveness, and third, shipping
Iquality. The commercial grower, how
ever, generally reverses this order ol
consideration. As he plants upon 8
large scale and his object Is to handle
fruit from the standpoint of wholesale
Operations, his first consideration is
that of quantity. and, second, carry
ling quality.
| He gives but little thought to the
Iconsnmer. His dealings are with the
first party of the second part, the brok-
Ter, and when he has unloaded upon him
the largest quantity of fruit that be is
Icapabe of producing he feels that there
his responsibility has ended. He gives
lhttle consideration to the manner in
which the consumer receives bis pro
duet-whether with satisfaction or
| with the feelings of one who may have
purchased gold brick.
So far has the interest of The con-
sunier been ignored, and even imposed
upon, that hs now not infreq uently of
fars public protest against the quality
OF fruit that ne il expected to consume.
| In apples, of, which we have q large
| number of varleties Of all grades OF
quality as to flavor, there are few
well. established, well.known standard
sorts that have commanded the first
attention in all markets. Among those
most prominent may be mentioned in
summer varieties-the Red Astrachan.
Benoni. Early Harvest. Primate,
sweet B0ugh, Williams and Yellow
transparent.
This class OF apples is used more
largely for cooking purposes than for
dessert, and from these might be Sc.
lccted, according to the section or
locality, as possessing excellent cook
| lag quality and in general demand,
the Astrachan, Primate, Sweet Bough,
Williams, the two last named, when
ripened. coming within the list OF ex-
cellent dessert fruits.
In the Autumn varieties there is an
imposing number to select from. Alex
ander, Duchess and Twenty Ounce
may be considered as highly profitable
varieties. yet not possessing the high
est quality, while the Grovenstein,
Fameuse, Porter, Rambo and Smoke
house may be ranked among the finest
of dessert fruits. With the exception
OF the Alexander, the first-named va
rieties are generally large yielders,
while the last. with possibly the Grow
enstein to be excepted, are equally pro.
ductive. In the planting of CONNER
cial orchards of Winter varieties we
would follow the same principle
choosing those varieties that combine i
the highest quality for both dessert and |
cooking purpose,
The Rhode Island Greening may be |
taken as a standard representing COM
hined high quality. 1t never disap-
ROlAGo bO1OvOl ~ ooy bC LOubds dPOh !
the corner stand, as an after dinner
apple, or in any cooked form that may
be desired. Yet with the failure of the
present orchards, this grand old stand
ard of highest excellence will largely
pass out, for new orchards are not to
much extent being planted, and it is
10 ,,i1lu od hv 6iFfar.
ent type represented in the most showy,
attractive but disappointing Ben
Davis.
In Winter varieties of apples tho
Newton Pippin commands the highest
value of any variety that is shipped to
the English market. At times it has
sold for 80 shillings, English money, or
800 per barrel. From the Robert Fell
farm at Esopus, on the Hudson. it has |
sold for $22 a barrel. 1t Ii not fancy |
color, but rather the keen discernment |
and appreciation Of exceedingly fine
fiavcr In the Newton that draws these |
high prices from the purses of the |
English consumer. The King, Esopus,
Spi.Zenburg, Jonathan, McIntosh,
Northern Spy. Hendricks aud Red
Winter Sweet represent a range Of va
rieties that possess the finest flavor,
thst are highly attractive in color,
that sre in general demand and sought
for at the highest value.
The commercial grower will raise
tbs objection that the King, as d tree.
| is ccnsGiJutionGllY defective, short
lived, and, on that account, is not a
safe or profitable variety to plant; that
ths Spl'zenburg does not yield enough
fruit to pay; that the Jonathan is open
10 the same objection. besides being a
slew grower; that the Mcintosh drops
| it iruit badly, while the Spy is poor
keeper aud bad shipper, and that
these varieties NAV be grown with
. profit only by those who can place
them in q special line Of fancy trade.
| Admitting that to some extent these
criticisms may be true, the grover must
rise superior to these difficulties.
For q number Of years we have been
growing the King, worked upon the
Spy, a very much stronger and vlgor-
ous stock. Not only are these trees
showing great vigor in growth but they
are developing regular annual crops
of superior fruit. We are working up-
on the same line with the Jonathan,
thes sSpitzenbu and the Mcintosh.
This is field that that has in it pos
sibilities at present not fully under
stood, and we may yet be able to grow
in the greatest abundance varieties of
the highest quality, but with some