Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-02-12
West Virginia Fruit
MartIpsburg. ". Va.

Hun j. n. Ste wart, director. expcr
mens station, Morgantown, w. va.
Dear Sir:
Sometime since / was requested b,
Your department, 10 make thorough
Inspection aud investigation Of the ex
tensiye orchard property of the Kama
wha Orchard Company, located in III
kanawha Valley, w. Va.
II gives me pleasure, to submit here
my official report II such iuvestiga
top. This extensive property IL stu
ated on the south BAN of the Kama
wha river at Raymond City w, Va.
midway between Charleston the capt
nal Of the state and Point Pleasant on
the Ohio river at the Junction OF III,
Ohio and kauawhn rivers, being six
teen (l6l miles to either place.
This property comprises eleven bun.
dred and forty tive (ll45) acres, locat-
led immediatly upor the banks Of the
kanawha river thrive miles of the
main line of the Clesa bake and Ohio
Railroad, and Immediately on the line
Of the Kanawha and Michigan rail
road with private side track fol
loading ana unloading.
i refully inspected the soil and
found 1t deep, dark aud rich, with
drsinage almost perfect. The soil ia
full of humus with generous supply
OF moisture, capable of producing tile
largest crop Of apples and for the larg
est period Of year o. any soil hav,
ever inspected. OF my knowledge Of
fruit culture all surrounding eondk-
tons are favorable for the production
when the trees have arrived at proper
age to produce say one thousand $1,000
bushels per acre of such varieties as
Rome Beauty, York Imperial, Ben
Davis and Crimes Golden.
The orchard contains very little,
rough and stony land, Is easily culti-
vailed With the latest improved inn
PIGMENTS, such a. disc harrsw, and
will prodace fine crops Of COW peas,
bftween the trees.
The land contains twelve thousand
four hhndred Q2400) trees, two years
old, which / found in fine and
furnishing condition, with no signs OF
disease, clean and healthy.
The management has used proper
care in planting the trees the proper
depth and In four years time, with
the continuance Of the present man
the cost Of the orchard fer fer
tilizer and labor will not exceed ten
cents per tree per year or forty cents
per tree for the four year, while the
increased value during that period will
be at least two dollars per tree, adding
twenty-four Thousand l2400O) to the
vsIue Of the trees now growing. 1.-THE
carries out it's plan Of plant
ing all their available orchard land on
this tract during the next fonr years
and keep up the present excellent
management the property ought to be
worth in four years three hundred and
fifty thousand $685. o0) dollars.
On alightlng from the train i was
met by Mr.. r. A. Stewart the mana
ger Of the Kanawha Orchard Co, a
genial gentlemen Of the old school,
whe Kindly took us in charge and
showed me over the property.
From our conversation with Mr..
Stewart found h IN as skilled in the
soil management as any market gard
ener. As horticultural 1 found him
at once variable and conciliatory, that
is to cay if one plan of operation does
not bring satisfactory results he at once
spplies another.
The property was formerly portion
of the estate owned by the Stewards.
The Co. has wisely selected its mana
ger, a man Of intelligence and know
ledge of the soil and climatic conditions
knowledge gained by years expert
enee- lie Is certainly tbs right man
in the right place.
: The advantage of this orchard which
me as probably the most
IL Its l,cation In respect to
and general distribution a
boat landing on the river Immediately
In the orchard af1ording water trans
portation and the proximity Of tw o inn
I,ortant railroads giving the company
allthe advantage they could wish In the
Of their crops and In
the most desirable markets.
In regard the marketing Of fruit I
would ask the privilege 20 suggest
hat grove RS so far have been and are
still at great DISADVANTAGE OF not
having control Of the distribution and
sale Of their products. In nearly every
other branch o. business at this day
the producers are regulating the sale Of
their products and when our fruit