The farmer and mechanic., 1913-10-21


produce journal in the country, there
appeared a few days ago an article
with regard to North Carolina apples,
written by Mr.. j. Frank FoOshe the
assistant manager OF the Progressive.
1t is of interest and Is a sfoilOws:
was very much disappointed to
find so little mention in your big
Apple Special OF North Carolina ap-
pies, and more SO to note in the very
next issue that no mention Of North
Carolina apples was made in the In
ternational Apple Shippers ASsOcia-
ton estimate OF the crop Of 1913.
1t is true that this state has not
figured very largely in the commercial
growing Of apples, yet at the same
time l do not see why it should be
left out altogether. for there are other
states growing fewer apples than
North Carolina that received consider
able attention.
While. of course, 1t IS well known
10 you, yet it may be interesting to
recall that at the exhibit at Council
Bluffs in 1910 this state won the sill
yer trophy and the big apple special;
and that Of st. Joseph, Missouri, in
1911, it again won the trophy for the
best five boxes OF five varieties. At
both expositions this state came in
for very large number of first and
second prizes on individual exhibits.
These winnings clearly point to the
unlimited possibilities Of North Caro-
lima in the growing of apples.
But winnings in the show room are
one thing and going out on the mar
kets is another. This state has done
much in the past in the way Of show
room winnings, but it has seriously
neglected the marketing side, due in
a 70 no olo& ~,
small output But q great change
is now taking place and soon North
Carolina will regularly be rated as q
commercial apple growing state. The
North Carolina Department Of Agri-
culture estimates that the crop OF
1912 was considerably above the half
million bushel mark. Not only wa:
the crop large, but marked advance
was shown id the handling Of tn,
same.
The apple section OF this state l.
confined to the mountains, which
would represent all the territory ives
of a line drawn from the northeastern
corner Of Stokes county through
Statesville, in Iredel county. to tn
South Carolina line. This belt
about 200 miles wide and varies il
depth from north to south from 5
to 100 miles.
There are now two distinct appl
growing sections within this territory
The center Of one is North WilkesbOrt
where is located the United Fru
Growers Assn, with DR.. M. L. TOwr
send as active manager. The othe
is at Waynesville in Haywood count.
where the Haywood Fruit exChang
operated the past year.
The association at North Wilke.
boro had such marked success in 191
that on their entire crop they nette
to the growers S1.13 per bushel. TIL
splendid record speaks volumes fl
the high character for the apple
grown in this state.
In my active experience on tt
markets, covering a period Of sever
months. I saw North Carolina appl
time and again command the vel
highest market price. In competitio
with apples from Virginia, New Yol
and the far west
More progress has been made
apple growing in this state ,..,i.
the past five years than in all Il
previous history OF the state. Ta,
for instance at WayneSville. where
lived previous to coming here, fl
years ago there was not a sing
power spray; now there are not le
than dozen. Two years ago the
had not been a box of apples shipp
from that point; last year there we
several carlOauS OIL DOXeO aPpleS TT
commanded the very highest prices
competition with apples from all o1
the country.
There have been even. more mark
changes in the belt around Nor
Wilkesboro, which represents q mu
larger acreage than the one
Waynesville. The explanation Of tn,
marked changes is the fact that
number Of orchards have chane
hands within the past few years.
would be safe to say that more til
so per cent Of all the apple orcha
changes in the belt around No
Wilkesborc. which represents a nj
larger acreage than the one
Waynesville. The explanation of tn
marked changes is the fact thai
number OF orchards have chan
hands within the past few years
would be safe to say that more Il
so per cent of all the apple orcha
in this State have passed into
1~