The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-09-30
APPLES WORTH $4,000.
A History Of the 100 Acre Apple Or
chard of Charles II. Holmes, of Char
Iotte-WOrth $500 An Acre.

cnuTu Oh tHHrieS Il. HOlmeS, Oh CnuT-
Iotte-WOrth $500 An Acre.
No more valuable lesson on the
profitable growing of apples can be
found in New England than the 100
acres of orchard on the 200-acre farm
of Charles T. Holmes in the town of
Charlotte, says the Burlington Daily
News.
Mr.. Holmes estimates that his crop
of first class fruit this year will ag-
gregate 5000 barrels, the market val
ue of which will be close to 1926, 900.
Mr.. Holmes was offered $500 an acre
for his orchard land few weeks ago
but this included this years crop so
that the offer was not very remark
able considering the present crop and
the propsect for revenue in future
years. 1t was a Milwaukee man who
made the offer and he wanted the or
chard to sell again.
Mr. Holmes sold his apples a short
time ago to the New York commits
sion house OF e. p. LOOMS & Company,
who have marketed his apples for the
past nine years. Today a small army
of sixty has begun picking and packing
the fruit. These are divided into three
gangs of ten or twelve pickers and
four sorters, besides headers, liners,
etc. This force it is expected will
pack 1000 barrels a week, so that the
entire crop will probably be harvested
in 40 out three weeks.
The apples will then be shipped to
New York city and placed in cold
storage. The revenue from the sale
will depend upon the market, of
course, but as the apples will be sort
ed into grades only fancy and No. 1
the highest prices are expected
Conservative estimate, then, of the
net value of the crop is between ST.
600 and $4,000
The element of luck is a very slight
factor in this phenomenal crop in an
off apple year in Vermont. 1t was
hard work and good husbandry that
did it. The crop throughout the State
is below the average, even for an off
year, and the price of fancy Vermont
apples will soar and soar again before
the years crop is consumed.
History of the Orchards.
The story of the development of the
Holmes orchards is interesting and
educational to degree. 1t required
long years of hard, patient and intelli-
gent work to bring the orchards to
J their present state of efficiency; but
there is no mystery about it--any OF
Mr.. Holmes neighbors might have
done the same thing and secured sim
liar results had they so willed-or al
most any farmer in the State, espec-
tally in the Champlain valley.
The orchards were planted Al and AZ
years ago Git took three years to set
them OUT by the father of the present
owner, John Holmes. The pity of ii
was that Mr. Holmes did not live to see
the desire of his heart come in full
fruition. He left a rich legacy to his
son, however, who has made the most
of it.
There were originally 300 trees OF
Rhode Island greetings, 800 Bald i q
and $50 Northern Spys. The Green
ings are the greatest bearers, but the
red varieties command higher price
in market. The young trees were well
cared for and grew thrifty. When they
got larger it was found that they were
set too close together in the row for
proper cultivation and to produce the
best results. So the present owner
took out every alternate row. This
left about 1000 Greening trees-the
Greetings all being in one orchard
and opportunity was given to expert
ment in scientific apple culture. Six
years ago Mr.. Holmes had a crop ag-
gregating 5000 barrels. The profits
gave him the start he needed The
mortgage on his farm was wiped out
three years ago and he was free tc
carry his plans for increasing pro-
duction.
The Greening orchard is situated
on an upland slope running north and
south along a bluff overlooking Lake
Champlain, an almost ideal location
orchadists say. Shelter from heavy
winds is afforded by fringe of taller
trees extending along the edge of the
bluff. The soil is heavy clay-loan.
Mr.. Holmes prunes the dead WOOD
and superfluous branches from the
trees regularly every season. as any
successful orchadist must do. Three
years ago MIR. Holmes purchased 9
Quantity of refuse lime, which he
sprinkled literally under the trees, as
wide as the spread of the branches.
Similar treatment was given the two
following years, fertilizing with man
ure each year in addition. Frequent
narrowing of the ground under the
trees and top dressing of clover OF
lbuckwheat served to cultivate the sur
face sufficiently. Lime cost about 81
cents per year per tree.
Mr.. Holmes believes thoroughly in
the efficacy of spraying his trees, and
this years crop is proof positive OF
la VI s.xNNl