Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1913-07-17

= AWARD - noe0 nefoioeo through
ont The country hat thersis TO be an
over. production of apples az : result Of
tha recent Developments IN the way Of
orchards and the spraying process
which Is bringing the heretofore nom
productive apple trees into service.
Chester J. Tyson in the Pennsylvania
Farmer" writes as follows:
Is the planting of apple trees being
overdone7 just now some persons are
giving very positive answers to this
question, meof them exactly con-
Trajectory. Twill say very frankly that
I do not know. / DO have an opinion.
am willing to back it by action; but I
do not want a single man to accept it
for other than what it is-my opinion
Here Is the situation as IL exists;
For nearly ten years past there has
been q perfect ctbze Of orchard plant
iEg. and apple trees by the millions
have been set out. Obviously, many
of these will never enter into COMPETE
ton, but it is probably true that the end
of the next FIVE years may see double
as many bearing trees in the United
States as there were five years ago. It
is also probably to be expected that
sometime in the next Ave years the
middle west-Ben Davis belt-will set
a large crop coincident with a full crop
in the Winesap, York Imperial, Bald
win, Spy, Greening belt, in which we
are most interested. That will probably
mean lower average prices for apples
than we heYe seen for many years.
Here are few known facts peril
nent to the question: First, the cost
of producing apples on the Pacific slope
plus freight to the eastern markets,
represent liberal price for eastern
fruit. Second; well-grown and honest
ly-packed eastern apples will bring
nearly as much per bushel today as the
western fruit, and in immensely larger
quantities. Third. the Ben Davis
apples of the middle west never bring
quite as much per barrel as the vari-
cites grown mostly in the east. and
this difference increases as the crop of
Bens increase. Fourth, as the retail
price of apples decreases. the consump
tion of fruit increases at rapid rate.
Growers, consumers and wholesale
dealers are combining to reduce the
cost of distribution; freight, retail prof
It's, etc., and they will get results.
Fifth. apples Of the highest character,
as to quality, growing, grading and
packing always sell higher, often
dollar per barrelmore than the average
lots.
Based on these facts, 1t is my opin-
tion that the far west can never put
the eastern grower out OF business,
and that the competition of the Ben
Davis section is not our most serious
concern. It is my belief that when
those years Of great crops do come, as
they surely will reduced cost of dis
tributisn and lower prices will help out
by tremendously increasing consump-
ii on.
cumming up it b my opinion that
# The cost of growing has been guard
ed, and the marketing is wisely done,
it will never be necessary to sell strict
ly well grown, honestly packed eastern
apples at loss, especially after the
growers brand has become known. l
am just as thoroughly convinced that
SO per cent Of our growers will never
take sufficient pains to produce fruit
of the highest character and that their
rewards will be in proportion to their
efforts. Backing this opinion by action
weIhave just planted an additional 80
acres of orchard. -Exchange