Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-01-27
APPLE CULTURE
In The STATE
Letter From Traveller Who
Visited the Famous SOper
Orchards

THE EVENING JOURNAL has re-
ceived the following letter from
Traveller which explains itself:
Noticing tho letter published a few
days ago from +. NJ. Soper TO the New
York Imperial Orchard People, 4
thought il might be interesting TO your
readers in general TO give few Inn
pressi0ns gathered from a recent visit
/ made to this famous orchard. III
was during picking time and there
were several of us in the party. We
took an automobile at Dover and en-
ioyed a beautiful run through the
orchards of the neighbOrhOod, the
road passing at one point directly
through the splendid old orchard of
r. II. Bancroft and Sons, the owners
of which make no secret Of getting
their $500 per acre annually and the
small orchard Of Mr.. Richardson,
whose apples sell annually to one
dealer in Philadelphia. Arriving at
Mr. Sopers, we We're received with
great cordially and given an oppor-
tunity to inspect the trees of vari-
GUS ages, as well as the fruit that was
being handled in quantities with truly
business-like methods. Some of our
party were experienced farmers. and
IL was interesting to note the ques-
tons that were asked and the answers
that were given by Mr.. Soper. He
described methods of cultivation,
pruning. fertilizing spraying, picking,
packing. marketing, prices and many
other details, and then he was asked
whether, after all this work and ex-
pense was accounted. If he could de-
pend on what the farmer regards as
big profit, 500 per acre net year
after year. The answer came quick.
/ Mr.. Soper told us that he had been in
business for thirty years and had
never seen it any year that bad: that
he would consider 800 an acre a crop
| failure and would be absolutely dis
couraged with any such results AS
matter of fact, he got several times
that every year
"When asked If he had any trou-
BILE in disposing of his apples Mr..
SOper smiled, as he declared that this
was the smallest thing to be consid-
cred. Brokers from the big cities
come down to the Delaware fruit
belt and buy the fruit right out of
the packing houses. IL seems there is
no trouble to get the best of prices
for Delaware apples During the last
few years the growers have won a
reputation that has become country
wide this has come about by scien-
tiiic fruit farming and orcharding in
the modern way.
1T Is certainly treat to talk ap-
piles to Mr.. Soper He is proud of
his orchard but speaks in the high
est terms of praise of the York lmper-
lial's property. few years ago Mr..
Soper was a struggling Delaware
farmer Things didn't go we'll with
him he had a good sized farm. but it
did not produce enough to make both
ends meet. He conceived the idea that
It might pay TO raise apples for the
big markets and he started in.
To-day Mr.. Soper is wealthy and
has the biggest and best apple or
chard I'm the State. He knows apples
and knows how to make them pay
, him big profits. From a single tree
on his young orchard he picked this
/, fall twenty-five and a half bushels
, lOi apples which sold readily for Sl5C
per bushel. Mr.. Soper says he finds
no trouble to make his Yellow Trans
, parents, a fine Summer apple. pay
{ him $500 per acre and his orchards
all net him $500 an acre each year
taking year in and year out. Any
orchard that receives reasonable care
/ Will bring in an income of $500 ;
, year. Mr.. Soper says.
THE letter which was published il
THE JOURNAL on Friday is, o
p course. an endorsement Of the Yorl
, proposition and the orchard planted
I by Mr.. Harrison at Seaford. and Thu
I; letter, may also be considered b.
! some as advertising a profit enter
d prise but ! wish to say. Mr.. Editor
e that it is worth while for the PEG
= pie of this region to know of tn
I opportunities of soil and climate an
i what every such orchard that /
I planted, cared for and brought int
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