Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1911-09-15
OWNER OF ROSECLiFF
EXPLAINS METHODS,

- .~s-e ~ ~ AAO0sA ~ Iii
EXPLAINS METHODS.
James Craig States Greatest
Apple Grover.
Winchester, Va, Sept. To see
an orchard loaded with fruit, some
trees having ten or fifteen barrels,
and not in the least ffected by the
drought, was pleasure experienced
recently by party of Frederick
county Orchardists, composed OF
Messrs. Melvin Green, John M. Steck,
Courtney Weems and II. F. Byrd.
This orchard is the Rose Cliff orchard,
located near Waynesboro, Va, of
which Mr.. James Craig is the chief
owner.
The Winchester orchardists were
met by Mr.. Craig, who very kindly
explained every detail in connection
with the management of his orchard
and advanced many up-to-date ideas.
The orchard is located along a river
bottom, which is probably more sus-
ceptible to frost, although the soil is
OF great depth and fertility.
There are 2, 700 trees in this tract,
Towering IS acres, 1900 of which are
twentv-four years old, and the balance
ranging from six to ten years.
The old theory that an orchard will
only bear every other year has proven
to be mistaken idea, as this orchard
bears an equal crop every year, and
this result is obtained by scientific
and up-to-date methods employed by
Mr.. Craig.
SYSTEMATIC THINNING.
Mr.. Craig thinks that systematic
thinning is probably more response
Die for every year crops than any
other one thing. Last year this or
chard yielded gross income of S35,
1000, and practically all of this cam
from the 1,200 twenty-four year OLE
trees. Think of it; nearly thirty dol
lars tree on an average. Mr.. Graf,
has five adjacent York Imperial tree
taat yielded last year 125 barrels, o
NEARLY 800 per tree. BY the oil,
theory this orchard would not have
crop this year, yet the trees are load
ed with as many apples as can be ma
tnred, and the crop this year vii
probably exceed last year's-this i
spite of very severe droughth, NOR
severe than has been experienced i
this section.
Mr.. Craig, when asked how long h
expected his twenty-four year oil
trees 20 be profitable, said: "Thes
trees will continue to bear large
crops each year long after you and
| have passed away"
From the healthy look of the tree
and the depth and fertility of the sol
one would say that Mr.. Craig is cor
, rect. and in the years to come tn
returns from this orchard, continuing
: the present methods of main teranct
t will be little short of fabulous.
II The Frederick comfy orchardist
can do the same by proper methods
, 1t is more the management than tt
orchard
Mr.. Craig attributes the success
: mainly to three things, cultivation
) spraying and thinning.
CULTIVATION THE SECRET.
Cultivation: Mr.. Craig is a grea
believer in cultivation, especially i
time of drought, such as has been ex
iperienced this year.
He plowed his twenty-four year Of
orchard early in March and has sine
i. been cultivating it once week unit
August 20, making twenty cultivation
in all.
AS consequence he has retaine
all of the moisture he needs, an
moisture can be seen in the soil with
l in an inch of the surface.
The ground Immediately under ii
S arge trees which could not be reacl
lei by cultivation has been thorough
ly cultivated by hand, so that at tt
Z, time the orchard was visited hardly
spray of grass or weed was on tn
f ground.
t Spraying: Mr.. Craig believes
y Thorough spraying, and sprayed hi
: orchard five times as follows: Firs
/ winter spraying for scale, one gallo
e OF lime and sulphur to seven gallon
t OF water; second, just before the bud
] open and after the leaves come GU
q with Bordeaux mixture, three pound
Y Iof blue stone, four pounds of lin
e and fifty gallons of water; thirl
D spraying for codiing moth, one gallo
: of lime and sulphur to forty gallon
e LOT water and one pound of lead t
( fifty gallons of water; fourth, ten day
| or two weeks later, with same sol,
r ton; fifth, latter part of July or fir.
, lof August with same solution.
HEAVY PRESS URE SPRAYING.
Mr.. Craig believes in heavy pres
sure spraying and never sprays wit
Hess than two hundred and twenty iv
pounds pressure. Hardly a worm
or defective apple was seen in hi
orchard.
Thinning: A great deal of MI
Craig's success is due to his method c
thinning, and he is probably the onl
orchardist in this part of the State @
Virginia who thins systematicall
and properly.
On account of thinning Mr.. Graf
is enabled to get crops every year
and the fruit he gets is all of frs
class quality.
| Mr.. Craig thins some time ia May
just as soon as the apples get as bi,
as MAI bles, as he claims that the chic