The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1909-11-26

OF packing the fruit honestly. and
predlcted il these things were done
they would add 25 per cent. to the
value of their products within the
course of year. Professor Ten
neys talk made a deep impression
on the growers.
The Berkeley County Hcrticultur-
al Society was organized about ten
years ago, its object at that tine
being to fight the different pests
that were threatening the destruc-
ton of the orchards. The splendid
apples of today are largely the re-
suit of the efforts of this Society
and the aggressive manner in which
its members fought the pests, Ac-
cording to President Alexander Clio
han of the Society, the value OF
spraying the trees with various
chemical mixtures for this purpose
was never more clearly demonstrate
ed than this year, because those who
sprayed obtained fine crops, while
those who did not failed. Having
accomplished such desirable work,
the Society determined to endeayor
to improve the standard of packing
in the county, and it was mainly
with this idea in view that the APP
pie show was inaugurated, and most
of the principal prizes were given
for the best packs of high-grade
fruit in both barrels and boxes.
One of the important outgrowths
Of the show this year will be the
formation of a cooperative associa-
ton of some 10 or IL representa-
tive growers to establish standard
pack somewhat along the lines OF
the lines of the famous Hood River
pack of the Northwest. 1t is felt
that by this means the standard OF
Berkeley county apples among bay
ers will be raised and better prices
secured for the fruit.
An important adjunct to the fruit
growing business of this section and
a necessary part of it is an ideal
cold-storage plant operated by Roth
we'll G. Co. This plant, which has
a capacity Of $4,000 barrels, is said
to be one of the finest cold-storage
plants for the purpose in the coun-
try. 1t was designed and built es'
pecially for storing apples, and one
of the reasons for its splendid rep.
utation is the fact that 1t is said moi
to vary one degree in temperature
Inasmuch as prices at picking time
are not always favorable, the value
of such a plant in the immediate
vicinity of the growing section car
be readily appreciated. because il
enables the buyers to hold the croI
and put it on the market gradually
so as not to oveTstock at any time
and cause slump in prices. More
over, this storage plant has ena
bled wholesale buyers to pay more
for fruit, and those having bearing
orchards have consequently realized
much larger profits =. Rothwell
Co. are also very large buyers, ant
distribute Berkeley county apple
throughout all parts of the coun
try. -.--
An interesting incident may b
, related to show the wide distribu
ton of Berkeley county apples. Thi
: year the horticultural Society ha
printed card which was placed Il
every barrel of apples shipped out
: This card requested that If the ap
: pies were liked to write the Berk
eley County Horticultural Societ
: for further information and an Il
3 lustrated booklet on apple-growin
| in the county. Although but shor
t time has elapsed, replies have bee
4 received not only from all parts G
e this country, but also from Englan
2 and Scotland. These returns wer
S read out at one of the meetings c
e the Society, and not only created
: great deal of enthusiasm, but ais
: impressed the growers attendin
o with the great possibilities befoI
y them. The result of this happ
thought will be to thoroughly a,
d quaint consumers with the origin {
il the apples, and thereby to slim
IS late an increasing demand for thoi
+ coming from Berkeley county.
+ While apples have been grown Il
s some years commercially in tn
l. and adjoining counties, 1t has on
n been within the past Is years or |
l. that any great attention has bee
k given to this industry. The phone,
e frNit-grower OF this section was '
= S. Miller, of Berkeley county, wi
! 60 years ago planted the first cor
Y mercial orchard. Mr. Miller ga
II close attention to the problems
H fruit-growing, and was largely T
III sponsible for the orchard develo
II ment of the county. His sons fC
lowed in his footsteps, and one
Ii than Inhn NJ Miller has very q