The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-31
VIRGINIA. LANDS WELL SUITED FOR GROWING APPLES
SO AS TO MAKE THEIR CULTURE PROFITABlE
uxrg1I. ASTun TSspDcTTso LANDS
AnsCxD wArNEsDoRo, wRzrEs
ssnoxO conMExDATIoss.
EQUALS PACIFIC COAST
opJxIox ExrREssED THAT BusI-
NESS wOCLD MI MORE PRO-
E1ranLE WITH Pro-
FER CANE.

especial to The Richmond virstnian.,
WAiNE8BORO, VA March 3o.---
The adaptabiiity OF Virginia lands TO
he profitable cultivation Of. apples u
heoomtnS generally recognized. Year
~ year moro attention u being paid
70 the growing OF appies. and more
mooney 10 being made out of the busi-
Ness.
In this connection the following let
ter - interesung:
Charlottesville. Va.
Feb. Is. 1919.
n -. Nagie, Secretary waynesboro
0osr6 OF Trade Waynesboro. Va:
Dear sir.--Reiativs TO your In.
Gutffss concerning your Blue Beli'
tract adjoining Basic City. Va. will
~ that have not had the opcor-
tuhity % Tar to insoect the entire
ab0ut 400 acres. has impressed me
- being suitably and practically
patsAtaA for the development OF COM
Defs!N orchards In either large or
U1eu tracts.
1As general exposure lying toward
~ eouthwest seems to me, In this
leeatlty. 70 BE- the ideal slope for conf
mercial orchards growing red varie-
~ Of apples mp to the elevations
Wneee the Porter's soils are found.
Thu land 6aing covered AZ ii is with
young white oak. hickory. chestnut,
lecust and other varieties OF hard
u u sUA3ciAnt fertility to maintain
e1a support the most vigorous and
hardy varieties Of apple trees. BY this
mean varieties which are OF rank
qrowtA. Furthe the general topo-
grarhy cf the country storing as IL
aoee from the summit OF the Blue
Ridge Mountains toward the South
river, afords suficient air drainage
- obvia,e any danger that may arise
fro nearly or late frosts, also the 6
II the clue Ridge Mountains benis
between your land and the early
morning sun will AFFORD ample oppor-
tuntty Tor any frosts that night hap
rSn 70 occur from doing any dam.
go 70 the fruit BY reason OF the direct
rays Of the sun striking y while GOV,
cred with such frost find in Hood
river that II was good to have the
trees protected from the direct rays
81 the early run. especially when the
tSeir color. Your hand that | looked
q has this wind break to the east
and offers fuli protection to the ripen-
In some places found the soil
covered with loose stones of shale
or sandstons formation which being
99posed 10 the action of the frost
and rains readily decon-nse, VIII CHI
oeing incorporated with the vegetable
and leaf mould on the surface and
being properly cultivated would form
an i0AAi mulch. The presence OF the
stones might seem to some a disad-
vantage. but In my own experience
ana observation In the Hood River
Valley, together with such coserva-
tons a. I have been able to make in
yisKinia, am lead to believe that
thar presence 10 n benefit rather than
: detriment, su~~ benef, more than
ofkastting the difficulty encountered in
eetting and cultivating the trees.
made several borin~s on various
parts Of your land and found the soil
10 average from six to eight inches
AZ JoaS mould and Iisht. frfab1e. shady
joam: beneath this. as the borings
f1eepened, more or les scla OF sandy
nature, which. under proper surface
t1liagc, would conserve sufficient mois-
fure to promote healthy ar vigorous
growth OF the trees. yet nj tho sa INC
fiu0 10 not dense enough to prevent
the roots easily penetrating to sufii-
/. Gent depth for proper suseenance.
Thts clay sub-soil is very friable, the
rand making II break readily apart.
In two instances the au~er struck
pieces OF sandstone. which 1t easily
penetrated. denoting this stone for
nation would be easily penetrated by
the growing roots
Judging from past experience. n
would estimate the cost OF clearing
uroperiy preparing the same for the
fYece 10 range from $50 to $50 per
hnre, by this mean that all stunps
and roots chould De removed to =
depth Of at least twelve inches from
the surface and the removal OF any
~ Vvrt0
b found anywhere upon the tract
! think this estimate libersI enough
10 Include thorough plowinK al least
ctght tnches deep and narrowing the
same not less than twice with spring
tooth harrow.
/ found sufYacient water from
springs ana clear mCantain streams
- domestic purposAs, and IN some
inetapces either proper conservation
gufBcaept for trrigattnE small areas
s.afi6fiyf n be deemed 'aos Found -sosfsas
Nc. However, under normal condi-
sions. virginia. rainfall OF about forty
three inches being distributed more or
jAss evenly throughout the entire year
viii cbyiats the necessity Of irrtgatin9
thA trees, and provide at all tines sur.
6cient moisture TO grow fancy apples OF
eupes3eg quality and fiavor. practically
every season.
o. Fsbruary 18th. pruned ten to
twelve yNaY- old apple trees In : thirty
acre orchard adjoining your land, tor
= ,3SstArn SEan. y 10 had ehoroaxhif
fnepectsd the Hood River district be-
1rre location near Waynesbc-c. and !
fe1nd IN average growth equal 70 tho
bAef iyriIated sections OF Oregon and
Raahfngton which II ample proof to
~ u the foregoing. inasmuch az these
frSeo Showed mora Or less neglect IN
aassfui snd scasnuno manasement, the