The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-09-12
BIG FRluT cRoF

-
yyEsTiVl RGlNlA's BIG FRUIT CROP.
Prof. "A. l. Dacy OF the State Horti.
cultural Society has written an artl-
Gle for the State Board Of Trade Bulle:
tin which Is full Of interesting and
syalpsb bic Information for all our read
erss and we hope they will give it a
careful reading. The reasons assign.
ed for making West Virginia great
fruit State are exceedingly interest.
ing. Prof. Dacy says:
West yirginia,s splendid crop Of
peaches and apples this year is but
added evidence Of the fact that our
State ~ pre:eminently adapted to the
production Of these fruits.
The great peach counties Of the
State. Morgan, Mineral, Hampshire
and Hardy, are harvesting record
crop, estimated at from 1900 to 1900
carlpads. West Virginia peaches are
conceded by; the buyers in our large
cities TO be superior in color, trmness
and flavor to all Others and our grow
h eFs receive excellent prices for them.
One orchard company is said to
have refused $4,000 for its crop. The
Hampshire Orchard Company, near
Romney, which has 10000 peach trees
planted, is picking Its first crop from
40 900 of them, which are three years
old, and is realizing from $3.50 to $500
an acre from the crop.
While the apple crop for the whole
ofsthe United States is estimated at Il
per cent. below that OF last year, West
Virginia will have more than last year
Eand of better quality. Good crops are
reported from the Pacific coast States,
from Pennsylvania, Virginia and tho
New: England States. Late reports
i from Canada, Nova Scotia and New
York have cut down the favorable
earlier reports. In Illinois, Missouri,
Northern Ohio and in other States OF
the Middle West the crop is an entire
failure. 1t is estimated that there will
81 be about 200, 900 barrels of apples in
s q the Eastern Pan Handle this year.
The crop is somewhat short in the
Northern Pan Handle, but there Is a
I good deal of fruit down the valley ION
& the hills) which amount to from 10000
to 25,0 900 barrels. In view of the gen
Il eral condition Of the crop, our grow
u ers should receive good prices for their
\ apples this fall.
Our West Virginia Hills" which
81 are apt to impress the uninitiated trav
eler passing through our State as be
Ing cit only for forests, are proving
Gin the hands Of our practical orchard
lists TO be even more valuable thar
smnch of the fertile land Of othel
States. In fact, her topography is one
Of West Yirginia's greatest assets. Hei
ttyaried contours supply every possible
choice OF exposure. The slopes of he
q hills furnish not only good water
drainage, making thing unnecessary
butsw Is even more important, the!
B furnish air drainage as we'll. This
factor Is now,Srecognlzed by all sue
cessfnl orchardists as most essentia
one. tbs a well known. fact that coll
air. like water, seeks the lowest lev
els. So, in the early spring and lat
fan, trees growing on lands which ar
higher than the surrounding countr
teyen though their elevation above Sc
level may not be SO very great es
cape the frosts and freezes that are s
Restrictive in the valleys and o.
level lands, especially during tn
blooming period Of the fruit. +
The past spring season brought gu
this fact very forclbly, and we fin
that while in the orchards situate
below the frost linet there is littl
or no fruit, those situated above tina
line are In most cases loaded wit
fruit. S.
The wide range in the altitude Z
our hills from $50 TO- a $50 feet aboy