The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-17
lands For Fruit
IN Old VIRGINIA
Southwestern Section Peculiarly
Adapted to Fruit and
Vegetables. <.
HOW PROFITS FIGURE OUT
Vegetables and Fruits Readily
Find a Good Home Market
Among Miners.

Especial to Tho Times Dispatch.

Especial to Tho TimcsD ispatch.I
y sTRATTON, VA. February 16.--No
doubt that the people of this country
have never for one moment thought
OF the advantages that this community
have for fruit-growing and other
crops. Almost any crop that can be
grown in the temperate zone can be
grown in this section. The most i'm
portant Industry in this section at the
present. is the growing and market
ing OF all kinds of fruits. such as ap-
pies, pears. peaches, grapes and many
kinds OF small fruits. There is not
finer fruit brown in the world than
IL produced on tho famous Sandy
Ridge in Dickinson, Wise and Russell
counties. The above section Is sit
uated near tho famous Toms Creek
and Lick Crock coal fields that arc
inexhaustible in extent. The compa-
MES that operate these mines employ
thousands of miners each year. and
their number is steadily increasing
from year to year. ind It will DO but
short while till this will be densely
| populated section. These miners are
great consumers OF all kinds of fruits
| and will gladly pay SIP per bushel
for apples and 4rom $500 to s3,50
per bushel for peaches. and fancy
price for all small fruits. These peo-s
Pic consume hundreds Of bushels of
apples and peaches and thousands Of
gallons or berries each season, and
| this consumption must increase each
| year instead OF decreasing, for 1t Will
| be years before all the coal has been
mined from these mountains. TO give
you an Illustration of9whrt could be
Imade by developing this country In
the right manner will give you some
4 figures as given by Mr.. Noah ". Ras-
i nick, who has given this subject life
long thought.
How It Pays.
Taken as q basis one acre OF land
/ set in apple trees, seventy two trees to
lsacre, will cost $75, land included, and
Il the rent OF the land ten years will
cover the cost of caring for the trees.
Z and the trees will have increased In
ivalue 81 per acre per nnnum On the
I sixth year the trees Will produce two
4 bushels Of apples per tree, at %
4 per bushel will be $3.50; on the eighth
year they will produce $50. at $1.25
4 will produce 57s bushels. at SIPS will
be S720; and the trees will have In
\ creased in value to $72O, which MAKES
4 a total Of s2O70. It would cost $ti0
to market the fruit. which would leave q
net profit OF $1,54o on q $50 invest
4 ment for ten years. The next ter
4 years Will produce Ave crops Of fruit
at an average OF ten bushels per tree.
or $500 bushels Of apples at sl.25 pei
bushel would be $4,000. Cost Of mark
a citing same would DO $500. which
. would leave net profit Of $4,000 TO
the next ten years.
This is only very conservative es
2 ltimate for one acre. and II any on
Z, Iswould start to work now, and SC
several acres in fruit trees, In tel
wears at the first estimate, they woult
have netted a profit OF $76,50O on tft
+ tncres set in fruit trees. Besides thes
profits, while the fruit trees are be
coming OF bearing age, one can sc
the same ground In such fruits as
row Of peaches between each row Q
apple trees. and also raspberrie
+ strawherries, and fruits OF the Xix
kind which, can DO sold at twenty-tiv
TO sixty cents per gallon. Any on
y wanting to invest in paying bus
ness could not do better than to IT
vest in fruittgrowing in tho above
named section. Such as complet
81 failure Of Il crop of fruit is neve
known in this section. The fruit thu
!. is grown on, this mountain Is VI
eaunled anywhere in this country
color and flavor
Sale for Vegetables.
Besides this being fruit-growin
country, there cnn be grown all kim
q. vegetables, that will find a read
sale at fancy price to these miner
Bcets, cabbage, turnip, potatoes, al
all like vegetables thrive well In tn
locality.
This mountain ana the surroundln
country is covered with all kinds
vauable timber, and the supply OF co
lis almost inexhausuble In exten
Some OF the finest coal In tho wor
is mined from this section, and wht
the new South and Western Railroi
is completed through Dickinson cou
j ty this section, will then blossom
the rose.
Tho people of this community a
Il kind hearted and generous, and a
4 ever ready to help any enterprise til
Will develop the country. There u
good free schools, with compete
Il teachers. ana In these mountain
where the people have fresh air
4 breathe and plainly of sunshine al
exercise, there will arise some of u
greatest men and women that cy
lived In any country. am glad
see this country prospecting as It doe
ana hope that in the next ten yea
there will be some OF the best fru
farms In this country that can
found anywhere, and that this may