The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1909-11-26
Forging to the Front as Fruit
Growing State.
ThsCTOp This Year Was 100000 Bar
Tels in Berkeley County for Which
the Growers Received 100000.

Martinsburg, W. Va, Nov, S.

Martinsburg, w. Va, Nov s.
With most successful and we'll
attended Apple Show and Carnival
the Berkeley County Horticultural
Society celebrated here last week
the most successful season in apple
growing in Berkeley county, West
Virginia. The crop this year was
about 10000 barrels, and the grow
ers received between $S50,0OO and
100000 for the yield The net
profits on the crop are conservative
ly estimated to be at least 100000.
These figures are in themselves indi-
cative of the growing Importance of
this industry throughout the county.
This is further emphasized by the
statement that one orchardist
received over $4,000 for his
apples, several received over 100000
and number over $4,000, while
the returns per acre of bearing orch
ards in many cases exceeded $500,
and in some cases was as much as
$1,000 per acre,
This was the first show that the
Society has ever held, and although
all of the growers of the county
were not represented by exhibits,
sufficient of the prominent ones
were there to give comprehensive
idea of the scope of the industry. 1t
is planned to hold these shows an
nually, and from the success of this
first one it is safely predicted that
all OF the leading growers will be in
line at the next one.
The exhibition was especially we'll
attended, there being large crowds
on hand at all times from the open
ing of the doors at 10 o'clock in the
morning until 10 o'clock at night.
Visitors were present not only from
this apple-growing section, but also
from other sections of the country,
and from expression of opinion made
were much impressed with the high
quality of the fruit shown. A large
number of cash prizes were offered
by the Horticultural Society, and the
leading merchants Of the town also
contributed some of their wares for
prizes, while the Martinsburg Board
of Trade offered large silver chal-
lenge cup to be awarded to the ex-
hibitor showing the five one-bushel
boxes which represented, in the
opinion of the judges, the ideal pack
of Berkeley county's highest quail
ity fruit. The winner of the prize
which this year was H. l.. Smith
will retain possession of the cup fol
one year and have his name engrav'
ed on it, and il won three years IL
succession will become the perma
nent owner of it. The apples were
judged by two experts connected
with the United States Department
of Agriculture. An interesting AM
important part of the show was thu
several types of modern spraying
machines exhibited, also the variou
chemical mixtures used. The larg
number of people always surround
ing these exhibits evidenced the de
sire of becoming fully posted as t,
the latest methods for scientificall
and properly treating the trees.
One of the meetings was devote,
to the experiences of individual
growers concerning different phase
of their work, and these proved es
pecially valuable, in that they point
ed out to the less experienced way
and means of overcoming difficu
ties. During the meeting Professo
Tommy of the Department of Agricu
t se made an especially strong tai
or cooperation and the importanc