The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-03
v|R CHINA APPLES
. BEST IN THE WORLD
Orchardists Do u bl in g
Their Trees Every
Year.
CARING FOR TREES
REALLY AFINE ART
Government Expert Who Exper-
irnented in Various Virginia
Orchards Last Year Tells the
Apple Growers How to
Turn the Trick-Circu-
lar Number Fifty-four.
BY FRANK S. wOoDsON,
industrial Editor,

InUustT1ui
was talking the other day with a
man who has travelled through the
Valley counties OF the state and over
and about the mountains and throngh-
out the fruit growing sections gener-
ally This gentleman predicts that in
fifteen years Virginia will be the most
extensive apple producing State In the
Union and that the annual returns
from the apple orchards In the Com
monwealth will equal. II not exceed.
the cash returns from the corn fields.
| This is n pretty strong predictions,
but it may come true. Climatic con-
ditions. the superior land and other
| advantages make Virginia one of the
most highly favored OF fruit-growing
| States. When the variety and excel
| lence of its fruits are considered. It Is
doubtful II any other State can COM
pare with 1t In this respect. Apples,
peaches, pears, cherries, ounces,
| plums, damsons and grapes are in
great abundance, while the smaller
| fruits, such as strawberries, raspber-
ries. blackberries, gooseberrles and
curran.s are plentiful.
Fruits Grow In All Parts.
These and other fruits grow all over
4 Virginia. but some sections are bet
ter adapted to some of them than
others In 1900 the apple and peach
orchards of Virginia brought their
owners about s2,5ooooo,
Last year. which was regarded as
rather poor year for fruits. many
orchards having been caught by lata
frosts after the trees were In blooms
the returns Were over s5'ooo,ooo. My
we'll travelled friend tells me that mora
| fruit trees were set out In Virginia
last wear than in any i've previous
years combined. and these trees VIII
: be bearing probably in Ave years.
Trees that were set out five years asd
will be bringing big profits this year.
and 1t is more than likely, seasona
being favorable that virginia's or
q chards will pan out s1o.ooo.o0o this
( year.
n The King of Fruits.
II But after all that is to be said OF
other kinds of orchards. the apple Il
now, and is to be In the future, thu
big money fruit crop of this State. Tha
foothills OF the Blue Ridge and Alle-
ghany Mountains are especially adapt
ed to the apple. many orchards In thai
region paying annually from 5000 to
$500 per acre. This paper has reported
some handsome yields of big orchards
such as $4,000 and more. H. e. Van
demand. one OF the best known hor-
u ticulturists in the country, has eX.
., pressed the opinion that there is mol
: In all of North America better place
= to plant orchards than In Virginia
and to the State Commissioner of Ag-
ricu1ture he lately wrote: For ricf
apple soil. good flavor. and keeping
7 qualities of the fruit. and nearness tc
g the great markets of the East and
n Europe, your State is wonderfully ia
= vored"
Were citizen of AlbemarIe county
S nous apple growing counties, could.
y and probably would, go into ecstasiea
in this article about the wonderful
i, pippins. the glorious Ben Davis. the
10 splendid wincsaps, the magnificent yell
u low Newtons, etc, but everybody
In knows about these apples. and that
a they grow nowhere quite so we'll as IN
J. Old Virginia, and so what is the use?
&c Some practical thoughts and conclu-
!, sions suit this column better Just at
id this time.
ii Only FIrst-Clnss Fruit Pays.
~ AS before stated the acreage In ap-
le pie orchards In Virginia Is rapidly In
creasing, and the production Will un-
N dcubtedly be doubled. II not this year
n certainly within very few years. but
q there Is no danger or an overproduo-
"a ton, for the demand for first class
y y fruit grows more rapidly than do tho
= trees. but the ever-increasing demand
in is for strictly tlrst-class fruit and not
s. for scrub apples Therefore 1t should
e, be the aim of every Virginia orchardist
y. to produce and put on the markets
Is nothing but strictly first-class apples,
! and II he does this he will always
y, make money from his orchards.
=, - w. M. Scott OF the United states
Ia Department of Agriculture, has made
" many experiments in spraying, and has
OF made a study OF how best to care for
=. orchards. Last year Mr.. Scott, with a
a corps OF assistants. spent much time
h. in Virginia and experimental not a
W little IN the matter or spraying, etc
lie or course, the results OF his work could
an not BIO determined until after tho
IN crops from the sprayed Virginia or
chards were gathered
a. The Experts Work In Virginia
sd lie has issued circular 81 from the
er Bureau of Plant Industry, and ir is a
10 valuable document for Virginia fruit
ry growers. want to make here a few
~ extracts from Mr.. Scott's circular. In
III the first place he gives this expert
~ opinion as being especially applicable
ha TO Virginia apple orchards:
W spraying is the one operation above
lls every other orchard practice which de-
ey termines the market value OF the fruit
az produced, and yet In many instances
~ II receives the least attention OF all
y. the orchard work. The successful or
NJ chardist of the future will be the
" man who, among other things, studies
he the conditions existing on his own
farm and sprays his trees according q
CD the needs OF each variety for the cor
o! troll or the particular troubles which
~, ~ occur In his locality. The course O
H. treatment best suited for the orchardF
IL OF the Shenandoah Valley or Nirgtnls
is may not necessarily give the BEST re-
n suits in orchards situated east OF thf
er B.ue Ridge in that State. and again tbs
ny treatment rcr certain varieties OF up,
~ pies may be different from that re
he CURED LOT SeEle'h p su0t - ss. ~,
he growing In the same LOCALITY. iN'
an, -