Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-04-29

ROM PEN Ms l LN ANA AFTER bhhI
DOCK S CAMPAIGN.
The Bureau of Soils.o the Depart
ment of Agriculture has issued
pamphlet which contains great dea
of interest to Virginians on the frui
belt of Virginia. 1t gives the interest
ing information that there are, accord
ing to the twelfth census, over on
million apple trees and more than tw'
hundred thousand peach trees in th'
Albemarle area, which embraces Mel
son, Albemarle, Augusta and Rock
ingham counties. The principal de
velopment of the industry has been ir
the southern part of Albemarle coun
Ity and the northern part of Nelson
entire number of apple trees in this
belt are within this narrow scope Of
country, and half the peach trees. One
significant fact about it, though, Ii
that the Valley farmers are now wplant
ing two trees to every one being plant
ed by the Piedmont farmers.
The pamphlet says that the fruit in
terest east of the Blue Ridge ls devel
Oped principally in two sections. The
one occupies the lower eastern slope oi
the Blue Ridge, from near Crozet to
Humpback Mountain. The other and
larger development is in the Ragged
Mountain section, where the orchards
are mostly in the cOves of those mouL.
tains. In this section the largest or.
chards lie mostly around Covesville,
on the Southern Railway, this being The
largest shipping point for apples in the
State.
The report says that it is the china.
tic conditions as well as the character
of the soil that makes this region so
well adadted to profitable fruit-grOw-
ing. The Blue Ridge Mountain shelter
the region from the cold winds of the
interior. The elevation is also great
factor, as it affords good water and air
drainage, thus lessening the liability
to frosts. The popularity of it is that
| there is zone, the lower limit of which
is 900 feet, that is not subject to killing
frosts during the growing season. All
above that. and the belt below. is SUBJ
ject to these frOsts, and in many in
stances the. crop is destoyed by them.
In the local vernacular this frostless
belt is know.as the ''green belt" The
best elevation for growing fruit may
be regarded as from 200 to 1,50O feet.
Above that one encounters sleet and
hailstones and heavy snow, which
make the crop very uncertain one.
Fogs are a natural enemy of fruit,
producing fungous diseases. For an
apple tree like the pippin this is a.seri-
Gus item, as any clOudiness, or imper-
lection of the skin affects it's value.
One of the peculiar climatic cOndi-
tions of the section is that the low
lands and the mountain tops are often
enveloped in fogs, while. the intermedi-
ate slopes, the green belt." are clear.
1t is said that the red apples want a
sunny exposure, while the pippln
wants a northeastern exposure, so as
to get no sun except the morning sun.
Hitherto this fact was little recogniz.
ed in the planning of orchards. but it
is now taken into consideration, and
sometimes now they more resemble a
shoestring Congressional district than
solid block.
1t is the Newton pippin that has
brought this section into prominence.
This apple is exceedingly variable and
susceptible to influences of soil, climate
and elevation. Under favorable con
ditions existing In this section it has
reached a high state of perfection and
is now known as the Albemarle pippin.
Many consider it a variety of distinct.
ly local origin, but the most authentic
history Of it seems to be that it was
taken in the shape of cuttings from
Pennsylvania by DR.. Thomas Walker,
a surgeon in the Virginia troops, on
his return FROM the Braddock cam.
paign in 1755. These cuttings were
used in grating trees On his estate,
which was in the fruit belt. 1t Is said
further that the Albemarle pippin can
trace its lineage even further, and that
the original seeding tree from which
the Pennsylvania trees were grated
was grown at Newton. Long Island.
The soil peculiarly adapted to the
growth of the pippin is Porter1s black
loan. There is divergence of opin-
ion as to where the pippin will grow.
Some claim that it will grow in any
soil if the elevation is good and care is
taken. This has been proven to be a
fact, but the land needs careful culti-
walton in other soils and plenty of fer
ltillzer, while in the Porter's black loam
the trees and apples need little atten.
tiOn.
| Until recently the pippin has been q
profitable fruit. But lately insect pests
and fungus diseases have become sc
prevalent as to materially lessen tn,
profit. Bitter rot and twig blight hav'
put in their appearance and can only
be controlled with much pains and ex
pense. The pippin trees are easily af
fected, and the present tendency is t,
lgrOw other varieties not so easily affect
ed. The winesap is fayorite in Vir
ginia and will thrive in mountain
coves if there is only enough sunshin
, to make its cheeks rosy. The Yorl
imperial is getting something of re
Iputation abroad and thousands of bush
els of them are being exported.
The story of how the exquisite fay
or of the Albemarle plppin delighte
palate of the Queen of England, whe