The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-02-15
APPLE GROWING IN
n. C.. mountains
captain Rowland Tells OF the
Possibilities
charlotte Observer

One oil the I1CSL
iects that has been brousht peioie
the public during the past few years
is that of apple-culture IN Westeih
North Carolina, and already the o'ale
is devoting much 10 Ills
hic industrial movement, which AZ
growing greater every year
The situation is no better under
stood by anybody than by Capt 1oih
Rowland. who is interested IN apple-
GROWING to a large extent, ahu Is
ideas OF the future OF pple-STo"i
are worth recording here.
can't. Rowland, who IS an entnus-
last concerning farm lite, and VINO Hds
interested himself especially III AZ
pie row4n in the Brushy MouHea4i
section, in speaking OF the presen.
PROSPECTS III bright OUTLOOK loF tn,a
line of agricultural d~eVelopmen salo.
In the Mountains OF western
North Carolina is plenty of land that
can be bought for $15 to $40 per
acre, that Will produce and is now
~oducin the finest favored apples
In the world. The great Northwest
produces larger apples perhaps, put
these have not the flavor, not the
keeping qualities of the Western Norm
Carolina apples, such as the llmoer-
twig, zook, imperial. etc.
Il think that an investment IN,
say so acres of these apple lands, WIZ
prove about the finest and most pay
ing hat can be found, and such an
outlay of cash will further leave a
most valuable asset for posterlty, for
the properly kept apple orchard is
always growing in value-lt never
sleeps.
IN this section OF high attitudes,
fine climate and low taxes. land values
are increasing every year and popu-
lation is increasing.
Il should like for somebody to
point out to me a better Investment
for I would like to put money in IT
-where you can realize such returns
as these apple orchards promise and
yield. Buy say SO acres at $40, which
is 81, 900; plant 40 trees to the acre,
at 20 cents per tree. or s400 in trees.
At the end of ten years they will
yield ten bushels to the tree, or twenty
bushels per year, which even at %
cents per busl1el, will give q total in
come of $4,000, and this is a low
estimate-and it is about three times
the total cost, trees, land, taxes an
SO forth.
"some people will say" continued
Captain Rowland, that they cannot
raise the money for this purpose our
wait so long for results. Then buy
ten acres and give it to some neigh
Dor, rent free for seven years. FIR
what he can get off the land How
ever, do not imagine that you are go
ing to reap this enormous income
with no outlay, for if you get an or
chard, and do not hand-Spray, fert /
ize, prune and hand-pick the fruit,
and assert il. vou~ or"ho~9 WI ~
just about where the average noun
tain orchard is today-llke so ,la4.y
chestnut trees the owners taking a
rail and failing the fruit off and piling
the good and bad, large and small.
into a springless wagon, and sleeping
on the apples while they are being
hauled to town TO sell, often a dis
lance Of Is Or 100 miles, to be ped
died at IS cents to one dollar per
bushel, and then go home and wait
for another faulty crop.
Put the very few who are taking
proper care Of their are
realizing a larger amount on their in
v~estTnent than are the holders of any
stock or money in any business that
] am aware of. ] know OF che or
chard that has paid an annual divi-
dend OF rs per cent. for the past ten
years and It is worth more now than
it was ten years 60. because it's own
ers are treating it as it should be.
The plan to make h orchard pay is
to buy the land now and take care of
1t, else it will not pay.
mo. I am not selling land my
self" said Captain Rowland, but !
know where 1t can be found in the
famous Prushv Mountain section. and
also in the Plue Ridge Monn'a',~
There are thousands of acres OF land
in Western North Carol ma that will
make admirable lands, and
that are Just waiting for somebody to
come along and set out trees and take
care OF them as they require attten-
ton. OF course if these lands were
nn0fn1 ry0hf Io-~
You couldn't buy them for the prices
] have mentioned, but some day the
railroads Will come to the orchards
and our delightful, healthful, blessed
mountain country. and the pio~na~
who are willing to make the venture
now. will cap their rewards"
The mountain section of North Car
DINA is undoubtedly destined to he
one Of the most fruitful in the land
sn'ne day. and Captain Rowland's
timely Interview on the subject of
a~ppfe-rnising is we'll worth consider
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