The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-29
APPLE MIRACLE ON
CHARLOTTE FARM
$4,000 Crop on iO0-acre 0rchard-C. r.
Holmes and His Methods--How
Such Remarkable Results Have
Been Achieved.

No more valuable lesson on the prof
table growing 81 apples can be foun'
IN New England than the 100 acres o
orchard on the 2Oo.acre farm Of Charlie
Z Holmes in the town Of Charlotte, say
the Burlington News
Mr. Holmes estimates that his crol
81 first class fruit this year will agere
gate 00o0 barrels, the market value .
which win be close to $4,000,
Mr. Holmes was offered $500 an acrt
for his orchard land few weeks ago
but this included this years crop, 50 tina
the offer was not very remarkable con
sidering the present crop and the pros
peet for revenue in future years. /
was a Milwaukee man who made the Of
fer and he wanted the orchard to sell
again.
Mr. Holmes sold his apples short
time ago to the New York commission
house Of +. p. Loomis & CO., who have
marketed his apples for the past nine
years. To-day a small army Of 60 ha.
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
st is expected. viii pack 1000 barrels a
week 50 that the entire crop viii prob.
ably be harvested in about three weeks
The apples viii then be shipped 70
New York City and placed IN cold stor-
are. The revenue from the sale win
depend upon Che marekt, 81 course, but
as the apples win he sorted into two
grades only, fancy and No. !, the
highest prices are expected.
Conservative estimate, then, Of the
net value Of the crop "a between $1,000
and $4,000
TIE element Of luck IL very slight
factor in this phenomenal crop in an
eoffs apple wear IN Vermont. Il was
hard work and good husbandry that did
It. The crop throughout the state IS
below the average, even for an eoH'
year. and the price Of fancy Vermont
apples win soar and soar again before
the years crop Il consumed.
History Of the Orchards.
The story 81 the development Of the
Holmes orchards Is intereing and edu-
cational to a degree IL required long
years Of hard patient and intelligent
work 70 bring the orchards to their pres
ent state 81 efficiency; but there Is no
mystery about itany of Mr. Holmes
neiehbors might have done the same
thing and secured similar results had
they so willed-or almost any farmer
in the state, especially m the Champlain
valley.
The orchards were planted Al and
As years ago tit took three years to
Set them outl hy tho father of tie
present owner, John Holmes The pity
81 il was that Mfr, Holmes did not live
to see the desire 81 bis heart come into
full fruition He left rich legacy to
his son, however. who has made the
most Of Il.
There were originally 800 trees Of
Rhode Island greetings. 300 Baldwius
and l60 Northern Spys The Greetings
are the greatest bearers, but the red
varieties command a higher price in mar
ket The Young trees were well cared
for and grew thmf6ly When they got
larger # was found that they were set
too close together IA the row for proper
cultivation and To produce the best re
suits So the present owner took ont
every alternate row This left about
1000 greening trees-the greetings aIi
being tn one orchard and opportunity
was given to experiment IN scientific
apple culture Six years ago Mr. Holmes
had a crop aggregating 8000 barrels
The profits gave him the start he needed
The mortgage on bis farm was wiped out
three years ago and he was free to carry
On plans for Increasing production
The tireening orchard Is situated on
IN upland slope Running north and south
ll0ng a hlufl overlooking Lake Cham.
plain. an almost ideal location. Of
shanists say shelter from heavy winds
Z afforded hy fringe Of taller trees
extending along the edge Of the bluff
The soil i d heavy clayloam
Care Of the Trees.
Mr. Holmes prunes the dead wood
md superluous branches from the trees
.egularly every season. as any success.
al orehardist must do Three years
100 Mr. Holmes purchased a quantity
if refuse lime, which he sprinkled liher
lily under the trees, as wide as the
.pread Of the branches Similar treat
nsnt was given Tic two following years,
ertilziag with manure each year ii ad
Iition. Frequent narrowing IF the
uound under the trees and top dress
ne 1T clover or buckwheat served t0
nltivate the surface sufficiently Lime
.ost about 81 cents per year per tree,
Sprayed Four Times.
Mr. Holmes believes thoroughly III !
he efficacy Of spraying his trees. and
his years crop is proof positive Of its
PRACTICAL value. The past season he
prayed the entire orchard four times |
vice with bordeaux mixture and twice /
With solution Of arsenical lead THE
irst poison 4 pnt on Just before the
nus open in the spring The second whenE
he ealix Is open the third before tile
middle of July and the fourth and last
ime about tito middle Of August when F
liz apples ara heavy enough to turn
own bv their own weight.
Mr. Holmes had q windmill installed Z
d his largest orchard to pump water
rom the lake 2 thousand feet 10 a
eserroif At tie highest point IN the or
hard The reservoir has a capacity of
200 gallons The windmill did not
rove adequate however and be installed
pump at the edge OF the bluff with
80
As one crows