The Washington herald., 1909-10-31
FINE APPLES GROW
IN WEST VIRGINIA
Three Counties in Panhandle
Chief Producers.
BUSINESS BEGAN AFTER WAR
W. :. Miller Was Pioneer Fruit
Kaiser in berkeley County-indus-
try HnS Grown to Commercial
Proportions since 1898 Apple
show in Mnrtinsburg This Week.


MartinsburE W. Va, oct. 3O.-SeVenty-
five miles west Of Washington. on the
main line OF the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road. les what IS known as the Eastern
Panhandle OF the state OF West Virginia.
Three counties comprise the panhandle,
namely. Jefferson, Berkeley, and Morgan,
and the first two lie in the Shenandoah
Valley. known far and near as one OF the
most beautiful and fertile sections Of the
United States.
While this portion OK West Virginia has
been, and VIII always be, known as a
rich farming country, another industry
las been steadily developed for the past
forty years which bids fair TO overshadow
all others. namely. the production Of ap-
piles OF the highest quality and I'm enor-
nous quantities
Berkeley County was settled by the
first pioneers who crossed the Blue Ridge,
and one OF the first things they planted
vas fruit trees Of the different kinds.
COIonists Planted Apples.
Some OF the earliest records OF the col
ouy Of Virginia. which can be seen in
the county clerks Office at Martinsburg.
are leases given by Lord Fairfax to his
tenantry, and one condition OF the leases
was that tenants should plant a certain
number of apple trees and other fruits on
the land they occupied That these were
wise provisions is proved by the large
number Of very Old apple trees still living
and bearing fruit.
But these early and subsequent plant
ings were intended 10 produce only
enough apples to supply the immediate
locality, and no one thought OF the apple
as an article OF commerce.
Prior 10 the civil war a few apples
wero grown ana sold IN local markets,
being handled IN a crude manner-hauled
loose in wagons and sold from door T.
door.
Up to that time the acreage devoted to
any one orchard rarely exceeded an acre
or two. and the great majority of laid
owners looked with disfavor on larger
paintings
A few men had foresight enough 70
plant apple orchards and grow the fruit
and sell I'm a commercial way.
Orchards started in 1865.
One Of the nrst-p-obably the hrst-oc-
chard Of any size was planted by the late
Jonathan Thatcher on what is now
known as the Thatcher Homestead Farm,
On Berkeley County, in the year 1865. A
number Of varieties were planted so IS
= have apples the entire season. The
greater part of this block or 500 trees are
living and bearing proftably. This fruit
until recent years was all sold in Mar
tinsburg and other nearby markets.
Tho man who is known as the pi5ueer
fruit grower o. West Virginia. the late
w $ Miller. OF Berkeley County. was
responsible more than any one else for
the development Of orcharding I'm this
county Mr.. Miller grew all kinds of
fruit trees and brought them into bear
ing. lie made n lifelong study Of the
business. and the experience thus gained
and given by him To beginners was OF
incalculable value. -Four Of his sons are
in the same business and own the largest
acreage of apple and peach orchards in
the state.
Cold Storage Helps Industry.
The perfecting OF the cold storage sys-
TEN for keeping apples gave a greater
impetus 20 the industry than anything
else. This enabled the buyers to hold
the crop and put il on the market gradu-
ally so as not to Overstock at any time
and cause a slump in prices.
This enabled the wholesale buyers 10
pay more for fruit, and large profits were
realized by those having hearing or
chsrds This IN turn stimulated the
planting of orchards. More attention was
paid to varieties OF apples than before
and those which were Of good quality
and prolific bearers were planted.
Running through the length OF Berkeley
County. about one mile from Little North
Mountain and parallel 70 Il. is an ele-
waited ridge OF land known from early
times as Apple Pie Ridge, so named
from the fact that the apple attains its
highest state OF perfection when grown
there. The soil Is a fine sand shale with
rich clay subsoil Practically all OF this
land. twenty miles long. extending into
Virginia, and one mile wide. IS planted In
apple orchards.
One Variety Produced There.
Although not generally known. West
Virginia IS the home Of one OF the best
apples grown. namely, the Grimes Golden.
the parent tree of which grew up as a
seeding in Brooke County, Va. now
West Virglnla). on the Ohio River and
on land owned by Thomas Grimes. from
whom the apple derived its name.
This variety. conceded by expert pomOl-
ogists TO Doe one Of highest quality. at
tains its greatest perfection when grown
on Apple Pie Ridge
The standard commercial apple grown
here Is the York Imperial. The Rome
Beauty, Ben Davis, Winesap. NJ b. Twlg
and others are also grown.
The planting Of apple orchards I'm Ber-
kelley County began IN earnest about 1880
Up to this time little attention had been
paid 20 orchard pests and diseases OF
fruit trees. Spraying was practically I'M
heard OF. However, nature. whether
wisely or not. has inflicted a number OF
insect pests and diseases OF fruit trees
upon the apple grower. The Department
OF Agriculture at Washington ana the
state experiment station have been o.
great service In teaching us how to fight
aud control these pests.
Win Fight with Insects.
The result has been that. while dis
couraged al times. we have won out over
the bugs" To the novice II would APP
pear that continued planting OF trees
would surely result IN overproduction.
This viii not occur, for several reasons.
Tie demand for good apples increases
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