The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-02-03
Would Plant Big Orchards.
From the Salisbury, Md, News.

From the Salisbury, Md, News.
Hon. Orlando Harrison, of the well
known nursery firm of j. G.. Harrison &
Sons, Berlin, has lately become interested
in several big apple orchard projects in
Western Maryland and at Keyser, West
Virginia. Mr. Harrison says there is moth
ing better to invest money in at present
than in bi. orchards, run in an up-to- date
manner, and especially apple orchards,
where the proper soil is found His pro-
jects in West Virginia are large ones, and
he expects within a few years to realize
heavily on them
Mr.. Harrison speaking on the subject
said ''There is no better spot on earth
to grow peaches than the Eastern Shore
Of Maryland. The shore peaches made
peach growing famous in this country, and
we can grow peaches today as well as ever.
There is gap of six or eight weeks in
the peach market, between the Georgia
season and the Northern New York and
Western Maryland crop, in which the
Eastern Shore has practically manopoly.
We can grow peaches here cheaper than
elsewhere. We have as cheap labor as
they have in Georgia, and our women can
pick and pack peaches better than men,
Improved methods and the selection of va
rieties of trees adapted to our climate and
soil has revolutionized the peach growing
business, and now is the opportunity for
the Eastern Shore to 90 heavily into the
orchard business. We should now plant
for market yellow peaches Why, know
of one Elberta peach tree, seven years old,
which netted its owner last season $25. .l6,
aud | can also recall to mind one yellow
transparent apple tree, 10 years old, which
this season netted its owner $780, In
Delaware this season one grower cleared
SIS, 900 from so acres of apples, and in
West Virginia, where | have begun the
orchard business, one grower cleared over
500, 600 this season from S5 acres of
apple trees; the trees are % years old, and
during the % years this man has taken
over sSS, GOO worth of apples from this
orchard alone There is as good oppor-
tunity to do as well with peaches right here
in Wicomieo county.
Referring TO Wicomico county, Mr..
Harrison said: Il have such faith in
Wicomioo county land for peaches, that
would be willing to join with company
Of gentlemen to organize stock Company
to plant one thousand acres of peach trees
in Wicomieo. | know of section Of land
that would grow peaches to perfection, and
| feel sure that we could make it one Of
the biggest industries in your county. |
have Of course studied the peach business
and know whereof | speak, when say
that an orchard Of thousand acres could
be made to pay big profit here,
The kind of land we would need to
grow peaches would not be expensive land
We want land with clay sub-soil, but
the top may be light loam or even sandy
If the clay sub soil is there for the trees to
root properly that is all we want You
certainly have the very best kind of ship
ping facilities right at your door, and the
land | have in mind has the railroad run
ming right through it, so that We could
load our peaches in the refrigerator ears
right on our own plantation. would be
glad to have your people take up this
question, as | believe we could make a
great paying industry in this county 1t
would be the means of giving employment
to large number of people, and the capi-
,alists who invest their money in the pro
iect would get good returns.
MIR Harrison Is man who does things
on a large scale, and has been very success
rul in his various enterprises. His latest
venture Is in ,;le Knobley Mountain Or
chard Co, of Keyser, W. Va, which has
applied for charter to plant and operate
/ 900 acres Of land as peach and apple
orchards, the capital stock being s75, 600.
Among those interested in this enterprise
besides Mr.. Harrison are d. A. Arnold,
T. 7. Huffman, J. Ed. Frye, and o. A.
Hood, all Of keyser.