The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-08-29
THE MOUNTAINS FOR FINE HPPLES.
Woo
vareti

noticed that the winter apples eSpe-
cially succeed much better on the |
mountains than they do on the lower |
grounds. Before l had read any
thing directly about this, say nearly |
twenty years ago, l had occasion to |
mention this matter to several, but |
some would say at once: "We can
have just as good apples here as they |
can have at the mountains" As to
the quality of the fruit (and especial
ly summer apples), this appears to
look that way, without close observa-
ton, but the leaves of the trees show
that certain elevation higher than
our tallest hills is the ideal line for
the perfection of apples.
The difference is very clearly seen
now even by looking at the apple
trees on the low-grounds and on the
tall hills-and comparing.
The depot at King is, by several
feet, higher than any depot on this
Mount Airy) line of the Yadkin
Valley Railroad, and now at this
writing, August Sth, the leaves on the
fruit trees near the depot are deep
green and healthy looking. Only $50
yards from the depot, on ground
about fifteen to twenty feet, are badly
blighted and are falling off.
[ know that it may be seen at once
the deficiency in the soil has much to
do in causing these diseased leaves
but the reference to the mountains
being the greatest place for fine win
ter apples is all true, however. The
leaves of the trees in the coves OF
Blue Ridge are not only deep green
during the summer, but they continue
green on up through November.
We have mountains here in Stokes
County, but there is not much or
chard land near those who would take
advantage of the mountain lands for
fruit; and, besides. there is not much
surface to find for orchards, because
there is more rock than soil.
1t seems that if we could find some
hills over a level country, say, that
rise about hundred feet higher than
the usual high hills, such elevated
spots would be great for apples and
also for the most of the other fine
fruits.
By some things that | learned
about the mountains and the fruit,
etc, near sixteen years ago, have an
old article at hand that will venture
to furnish, which is as follows:
with the limited experience that
l have had [ have foGli the coves Of
the Blue Ridge to be the best apple
section / have ever seen. In travel
ing on foot in the coves of the noun
tains in late October have seen hun
dreds of bushels of apples in only
few hours hanging on the trees. These
apples are nice and smooth, and are
not apt to speck on the trees. and IT
not interrupted, many will hang on
until late in December, while the
green leaves of the trees will also
hold ON. The situation is such that
the leaves and the fruit are not kill
ed by frost, but all hang on utnil they
naturally fall off with ripeness.
"The soil of the mountains is we'll
adapted to the apple tree, and, as a
rule, those who plant trees in the
coves are not expecting to do much
work in the way of fertilizing, etc,
hut depend on their trees to just
naturally grow up and stand and bear
fruit. IF our mountain friends would
on their part help nature with all the
art that God has placed in their
reach they could do vast deal
- ,,o+ura in her nrOQlC-