The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-06
APPLE-GROW WING
Up IN ALLEGHANY
Just Little Story That Tells
How the Thing Is
Done.
VIRGINIA APPLES .VERY BEST
The Man Who Found Country
Fruit Culture Better Than
Town Booming.
VIRGINIA APPLES VERY BEST
BY JOHN NJ. LEONARD.

Especial TO The Times Dispatch
corington, Va. November 5-To tne
average person travelling through the
mountain section OF Virginia west OF
the Shenandoah Valley who is un-
familiar with the topography of that
part oil the. State, the narrow strips
OF land in the valleys, to be seen from
the train, would seem 10 preclude the
possibility OF producing a satisfactory
apple crop. but, II carefully investi-
gated. IT will be found that Allegheny
county has grown this season a crop
OF apples OF certain Nariettls that
for quality compare favorably with
any that have been grown elsewhere in
the State. Several days ago the writer
was one OF party that visited one
Of the best orchards in the county
the Virginia Hot Springs Valley Or
chard. situated eight miles from Hot
Springs on the Hot Springs Road.
RAISING along the Valley of the
Jackson River. and gradually rising -
attitude, the road to this orchard winds
around through the ht..tops interven-
Ing between Covington. the starting
point of the trip, and then slopes
gradually down into the valley, where
Natures bounty has fallen without
stunt among the trees laden with rosy
checked apples. these trees nesting
on the hillside. sheltered from the
winds. and with good carefully
nurtured siol beneath their boughs
The view beggars description, and I
have sent the Industrial Section Illus
tratlons that will serve to give the
reader but a. scant idea of the appear
ance of this young orchard as 1t looked
the early part Of last month, when
the harvesting OF the crop was at Its
zenith.
Orchards That Produce.
One Of the photos show a view OF
one of these orchards. However. owing
TO the lay Of the land. the photog-
rap her was Obliged to focus his camera
from an adjoining slope, and the pic
lure does not show the wealth of fruit
that closer position would have dis
closed. -
This orchard covers thirty-five acres,
and numbers lao trees. averaging
eleven years in age. and has been In
bearing for the past three years. This
year the crop is the first of any mag
nltude that has been gathered. and
select apples from $50 trees. The yield
Lhis Year would have been much;l larger:
out for the heavy and damaging frosts
ate In the past spring, The trees are
mainly of the York Imperial variety.
and find ready sale on account Of
heir excellent keeping qualities. /.
4 The Virginia Hot Springs Valley Or
hard Company. with its principal office
t Covington, Va, composed of Messrs.
". McD. McAllister and B. c.. Aloomaw,
'oth OF Alleghany county. are the
'wners Of this and several other or
lizards In this vicinity, and while the
ther orchards are not yettin bearing.
hey give ample promise OF being bet ,
err even than the orchard illustrated /
ereWith. In conversation with these I,
entlemen, the writer learned that al
ogether they have planted between
o 900 and 10000 trees of different ri
arieties
Gathering the Crop. (
Another view of the ( orchard Ia g
hown In which the packing Of the lie
rop is Illustrated While In many or. ~
nards different appliances are brought I !
ITO use In picking the apples, here the .
'uit Is gathered by hand and placed s
baskets. the same as shown in the c
Of the picture. and brought S
y the packing table shown In the b
antre. There they are carefully Il
nptied out and. as the table is slight /.
inclined, the apples reach the :
lcker with the minimum amount Of IL
andling and the least possibility Of n
'uising. The watchwcrd Of this or. ii
ards guardians has been, throughout g
e gathering Of the crop. careful 81
Lndling." and. from the appearances Of &C
e fruit. this would seem to be rully y
stitied. M ri - =,
The method of heading the barrels s:
Illustrated, and by the proper use Or II.
e press giving only the exact,amount NJ
/. pressure required to bring the head cl
the barrel down to its position, the &c
piles. are made ready for shipment Is
thout damaging them in the slight 81
Is, fContinued on Saaand PaRa-l