The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-31


than most Of them. So far as the cost
Of producing and marketing a hushel
Of apples Is concerned, we yield the
palm to none"
From Banking In Wall Street to Ap.
After q few years az bond clerk
IN . New York banking house be-
came discontented with tho life. 1t
was unnatural unwholesome, and In
all ways unsatisfactory. Every Sat
urday, Sunday and holiday found me
spending all my Eilary going into the
country and enjoying nature. The
aters. concerts, museums, lectures.
libraries and what uot--Lhe much en-
jOyed and used did not give the pleas
ure that the open county with Its hills
and valleys. lakes and rivers, its snii-
ing geniality and good nature could
furnish.
Reading an article In the Sunday pa
pers. telling OF the new methods In
anu good returns from scientific saEm-
ing | decided to look the proposition
over. The deeper looked. the more
u liked the idea and then | studied.
The perusal Of one farmers builetin
led me to another an dthat led to
various book on general farming.
soil, fertility and otner similar woi ks
At last, being convinced that | cou!i
be satisfied with the comparative SOL
itude OF farmers existence and the
physical work in contvadistinctinn TO
the mental ! resigned my position,
procured statistics as to the value Il
various crops md the degree of com
pliclly and OF skill required in prv-
ducing them.
After this vital question was care
fully studied over one crop stood out
head and shoulders above the rest
that is--apples. Why? A man with
a good education, brought up In d
broad. liberal environment must keep
his mind busy. Apples require a large
amount OF technical knowledge and
acumen in applying 1t. Besides this.
as the crop Is marketed for best re-
suits away from the farm, In the big
cities Of this country. and. OF course,
man needs all the business sense
| he. can muster. Further. man
| raised In certain section must seek
a similar climate which helped mar
I calities were out Of the question. So
| far so good; apples are the thing to
| raise.
The next question was where to
| raise them. There are three main Sec
! tions---westeYn New York state, the
| Northwest. and the Shenandoah VAL
| ley. Anyone who has worked out
| doors will appreciate long summers
and short winters. and will therefore
| towards tho last. An experienced
horticulturalist viii tell you that
| long growing season Is better than
| short--another argument for the
Shenandoah Valley. Next thing to
consider 10 cost Of production. In
the West labor II high and scare.
| and freight rates are exhorbitaut, cut
! ting big holes into profits In New
York labor is scarce. and but little
lower than 1t IL in the West In the
Valley Of Virginia intelligent white
labor is to be had in fair quantities
at low prices and freight rates are
lower than In New YORK. and less
| tran one-sixth from the Pacific North
west Last Of all the Virginia land.
| offering similar railroad, telel,h,ne
school social and scenic facilities is
| IL fully as good, and water is abund-
! ant All that remained after reach
Ing this point was TO find out What
| part OF the Valley TO choose.
The best place to do thing Is
| where II Is being done 10 a high &C.
gree OF proficiency. The Waynesboro
section, in Augusta county. shipped
! 100000 bushels Of red winter apples
! in 1910. which was ono OF the bigges'
|
| ley. Other things. such as railroads
schools etc, being eQual--here was
the place to come. The section han
two roads---the Chesapeake and Ohio
and the Norfolk and Western. sew
! eral towns. rood schools. and OF value
/ to such as myself--magnificent hills
and valleys. That was all wanted.
| In an.wer to inquiries made Of the
/ two railroads In this Valley section
| - 4 reli1hla apvyA NAV
| referred to MIR. H, NJ. Magic, secre-
tsry Of the Shenandoah Valley Apple
ands Company He very kindly in
| terested himself In my case and pro-
cured = position for me with the
American Apple Company. which II
| developing a 2oo-acre commercial or
chard half mile south Of Waynes-
boro. Being assured an excellent
chance to learn the business OF APP
ole growing. from clearing the land
TO marketing the crop at laborers'
wages tmore than enough to pay all
my exrenses). accepted the offer
with alacrity
On leaving New York I was pr~-ar-
ed to land next morning in small,
surprised to enter Ike town with
cement and brick sidewalks. two
banks and plenty Of schools. The
town and surrounding country offer
n most pleasing prosrect Of prosperity.
IN Waynesboro Itself there II Z large
res. denoe section--somethipe new 10
me IN towns OF I similar siSe-witr
q quantity Of the most artistic and
comfortable homes. The farms about
are unusually well kept--the barns
and houses are Ill freshly nainted. the
fences and gates arc In good repair
ana the whole. Valley just smiles II
you. And coming from cold weather
and an inch ESQ Of snow the aight
of bright. sunl1ht and green wheat
seids and swelling buds Was Z rsal
tf4at.
AZ Z O'clock Mr.. Magic w. 81 his
d44ce and though total stranger,
gave M mort Aoerty waloonae. found
~ 4 6oar15nf houee ~ 11nt ~ eu4
q ~ l1eA ~ q eaar41 ~ m. Gkljls