Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1912-12-13
THE GARDEN SPOT
OF THE WORLD

| ming the magnificent silver cup
offered at the American Land
Show, in New York City, for the
best ffteen-box exhibit of apples
| open for competition to exhibit
tors from all states east Of the
Mississippi river,
In the face of very numerous
entries and the most severe eom-
petition, it is a source of pride
and qualification that Mr.. Steck
will rebound to the advantage of
the apple industry of this sec
ton, emphasizing, as it does, the
favorable natural conditions that
prevail there for raing apples of
the finest texture, finish, flavor
and appearance.
| While this is great tribute
to the personal ability of Mr..
Steck as an apple grower, yet
without satisfactory natural con-
ditions, no human ingenuity
could dictate methods by
which apples could be grown to
such perfection as to carry off
the most yalua BILE prize that has
ever been offered in America for
apple exhibits.
This calls attention most
forcibly to the very exceptional
natural advantages this section
possesses for raising apples.
There is no other section where
soil and climate are so coSmo-
politan and where so many diff
ferent varities thrive to perfect
ton.
The Pippin, Jonathan, De-
licious and other varieties grown
in the irrigated sections Of the
Northwest grow to just as great
a degree of perfection as do the
Baldwin, Greening and other va
rieties grown in New York state,
Canada and Nova Scotia.
1t is said by experts that all
commercial varieties of apples,
with proper attention, can be
produced to perfection in the
Winchester fruit belt.
Of the apple districts'of the
Shenandoah Valley the territory
in Clarke and Frederick counties
seems to possess advantages over
other sections. For instance, in
ten years there has been no
damag es by frost in these two
counties, while frost is greatly
to be feared in Augusta county,
Virginia, one hundred miles to
tbs south. There has been no
considerable damage by hail in
Frederick and Clarke counties in
recent years, while Berkeley
county, twenty miles to the
north, experienced a most dis
astrous hail storm last season.
There is certainty every lndi-
cation that in time the apples
produced in the section around
Winchester will become the most
famous in the world. Already
the apples grown here command
the highest market prices.
The irrigated sections of the
West and the great apple section
of New York state will be eclips-
ed by reason of the advantages
of this section in climate, soil
and proximity to the markets
and the flavor of the apples.
In the government census of
1910, in Frederick county there
were 373, PAS apple trees not OF
bearing age, and this deyelope-
ment is being increased each
year.
With modern and intensive
methods of spraying, cultivating
and thinning, the production of
this section will be greatly in
creased each year, so that in a
few years the average crop of
Frederick county should not be
less than one million barrels
each year.
| The tree essentials of apple
Igrowing, soil, climate and prox-
unity to the markets are possess
ed to a marked degree by this
Favored section. The mellow
clay loan lands. we'll drained.
friable and capable of maintain
ling the maximum amount OF
moisture, in connection with the
mountain climate, enables this
section to produce an apple equal
to any in high color and appear
ance and excelled by none IN
i delicioness of flavor.
i The cool autumn nights gives
the apples grown in this section
a erispness and high color rarely
obtained elsewhere, and to the
discriminating eaters of apples,
the apples grown in the Valley
of Virginia are always in great
! de mand.