Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1912-02-22
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y. eolilnR wood, the Weil-
known elitpr q TIE Rural New Yorker,
Nil9 l1g ben attending NE annual
l',e inls e tns virgins h9rtleultural
Society Tor = number Of years. has an
intsrestinE article n his paper, from
which the following y taken:
Another section which seems TO me
very superior = the wide strip running
northwest down 9lltoneh the lower
PENIS a1is upper nryland, Virginia
and West Vitglnla and % the North
Carelina. There y laad Tor millions Of
homes admirably suited Tor the back
tO-the-land man, because ofits location
and great diversity OF crops and soil
Those OF you VINO I'VE forty years long
OK, remember what ! say and see +
times does not prove It. That country
will be one OF the vital spots Of our con-
tinent. It will be newly Psopled and
dominated By 2 new type OF American
the descendants OF intelligent and
worth people who were crowded out Of
industrial hfe ~ the CITY Suen men
VIII UNDERSTAND the Danger ana inJnstlce
OF modern huslness condltions, because
they have felt the sting ~ their new
homes among these hills such men will
work out aoclai and business conditions
that will influence TINS republic. It
seems as i these valleys and Ellis have
been held back from close settlement IN
order that e great socia experiment
may be tried y y not every man VINO
y qualified % WORK OUT 2 nome N TINS
region, but @ thousands " Will appea.
as It did 70 my lFienas wao looked
across one part 9. ene Snenanooan
Valley and aaio; the nnest country
sGod ever mane
Z 1 was down there recently a. tne Vir-
glnia state Hortlcultural meeting IN
Harrtsonbnrg No--tnere was nothing
SAID about tne sunny south The
mercury looked INTO tne eyes o. zero and
sshivered, and there was more snow
than IN New Jersey. While the people
felt cold they were good-tiatured and
made no excuses. u was 2 big meet
ing -oyer 600 present. Nine years ago
/ went TO the meeting OF this society
and found perhaps l26 people. Out Of
this number i've were women and per
haps dozen Of what You would calf
young men. I his year the proportion
Of women was not much larger but at
least 40 per cent Of the audience were
young and vigorous fellows keen-eyed
and alert. Except perhaps at the New
York State Fruit Growers meeting I
have hardly seen gathering with more
young men.
These Virginia growers are mostly
wholesalers selling the entire crop.
often for export TO Europe. It Is very
doubtful If any dner apples ever grew
on 9 tres than are found in Virginia.
The fruit show was beautiful. yet in
spite Of all this beauty and quality 1t is
almost impossible to buy high. class
apple at retail IN the ordinary Virginia
towns. The retail trade seems to have
been absolutely neglected, ! am quite
sure that in most OF these towns there
are ten oranges sold and eaten to one
apple. Nine years ago ! spoke Of this
in Lynchburg. After the meeting 2
fine old Virginia gentleman (who SEEM
ed to have stepped night out OF PIC
turel came up with polite protest: .
81 enjoyed your remarks, slr. Dut !
wish to make it clear that we 90 not
consider it dignifed Or becoming Tor
Virginia gentleman to peddle apples. "
A He grew 9 large crop q apples ana