The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-03
COMMERCIAL APrLE GROWING.


The apple is a fruit of a rosaeeous tree
/ Pyrus Malus, a native probably Of central
Asia The tree is now cultivated in nearly
ali temperate regions in numerous yarie-
Ties and its fruit is in universal use. 1t
WAS introduced into America from Eng
land in 1929 by the governor of Massa-
enusetts Bay. 1t is scarcely known in its
| wild state buhas an escape from cutiva-
! ton its fruit becomes small acid and
/ harsh and is known as the crab. The
cultivated crab=apple is tAe fruit Of other
/ species OF Pyrus.
The apple is perhaps more extensively
cultivated than any other of our many
fruits and for general use is more popu-
lar than any of our fruits. The fruit is
| healthy and can be used in more ways
than any other fruits and is more uni
yefsally known and used With the in
crease in population there is a constant
increase in the demand for fine apples and
/ this demand will always make the grow
/ ing Of apples profitable industry Not
4 only have we a growing demand at home
for this fruit bu the foreign demand for
| good stocks of American apples is con-
| SANITY increasing.
Commercial apple growing is like other
| industries. The grower who will study the
matter and give il the careful considera-
ton which it deserves will always be
allie TO get the cream of the market For
it always pays to grow first class stock
and to put none but the best on the
II arket To enable the grower to do this
aud TO assist him as far as possible is
my object in writing this article We feel
that there is a great need at this time
for few practical suggestions along
| this line Of apple growing.
Much has been written on this SUBJ
peet, We know. but there is a demand for
a more practical guide, what the new
beginner wants is facts. practical ADVICE
that will lead him 10 success. Fine cut
theory will not grow fine apples or fine
fruit of any kind for that matter
Occasionally some of these theorists
| bob up and write in glowing coors the
wonderful advantages that certain see
lions possess for producing fine fruits
! and Of the fortunes Imaginary that have
or may be made ont of commercial or
ehardng. This may all be nice. in way.
but It does not weigh enough: it is not
the kind of information that the be-
|. ginner or the new conner into a country
needs or wants. They want to know
something of soils and how TO prepare
soils, something Of the life demands Of
a fruit tree and how To meet these re-
quirements best He must know that in
order to succeed a tree. like an animal
must be fed and must know what kind
of food it likes best as well as the kind
Of food needed to make il produce fine
fruit (apples). IN other words, the be-
guner should know how to take the
tree from the nursery and how 10 pro-
coed with It step by step until he has
the fruit ready for the market
And Information that will assist him To
do this is the kind of information that
we shall try to impart.
Location.
Tho matter of location or the selee-
ton Of section suitable for. the best
development Of the apple, is a matter
ton Of the grower. IN this there are
many things which should be carefully
considered Climate and soil should ba
well looked into, also the facilities for
getting the fruit to market Both home
and foreign markets should be well con-
sdered. There are sections where COM
mercial apple growing may he made very
profitable and other sections where any
effort would prove a failure. The class
Of apples to be grown well as the
markets Tor which they are grown are
matters that should be well considered.
Should the grower decide to grow curly
apples for market he should go as far
south as there are lands suited for this
class of apples II he is to grow winter
apples he should select sections adapted
for this class OF fruit. and as before
stated in making these selections Of
lands he must not overlook facilities he
Will have for reaching the markets from
such sections. This matter Of easy ae-
cess 10 market is one of great mpor-
lance, as 1t largely determines the ques-
ton Of profits. In a country where the
roads are rough, transportation at
distance reduces the profits of apple
growing very fast.
| want to call the attention of the
reader to a few sections Of country well
adapted for commercial apple growing,
for which they have the very best Of
market facilties-not only home markets,
but the facilities for shipping are unsur-
passed by any section or sections.
The country best suited for apple grow
ing. especially winter apples, is the great
Ozark region of Southwest Missouri and
Northwest Arkansas, the Land Of the
Big Red Apple" But the question which
suggests itself here Is, are all the grow
ers of this famous region growing as
large and as red apples as they should?
The answer Is empha;icaily, no, and We
| will give a few of the reasons why they
| are not. The ozark region mentioned
| not only has the advantage or being one
Of the best apple growing sections Of
/ the United States, but it also has the
advantage OF being accessible TO the great
| markets of the world. The soil in this
section is particularly adapted for the
development Of the apple and is suseep-
tible Of the highest state of cultivation
and fertilization. One seeking a location
for commercial apple growing cannot well
afford to overlook the climate conditions
| of the Ozark range. Here the winters
| are short and mild and the grower has
a long season for caring for his soils.
trees and handling his fruit. This is one
great advantage. Another is that this
| section has an ample rainfall for ap-
MES MS we'll as sor other fruits arid so