Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1914-09-12
Berkeley County Apples Biggest Crop
Euer in Eastern Panhandle Fruit Belt

tive here for q few days, in the issue
OF Saturday contains the following
matter OF special interest about the
Berkeley county apple crop:
This week The News representa-
tive has been all through Berkeley
county and seen the great apple crop
In all its beauty, the wonderful eff
feet Of last weeks rains and the rapid
coloring Of the fruit The orchards
are wonderful-clean and we'll cult.
waited. Not in the northwest, nor any
where else are better cultural meth.
DDS, more vigilant care, or more as
siduous attention than here on APP.
pie Pie Ridge. This, together with
unusual natural advantages, is the
reason why the fruit is Of unusual
quality.
AS to the size OF the crop, many
thousands OF barrels will be rigidly
excluded, In order to make the pack
strictly standard. Many Of the grow
ers OF the county will use boxes, and
some Of the pioneer box packers OF
the country are right here in Berke-
ley county; but the usual package is
the barrel. However, the general
faults OF barrel packing arc not here.
The big Berkeley county growers
take as much pains with their barrel
packing and are as careful in their
selecting and grading as the north
west fruit men.
Not over 10000 barrels of strictly
No. l, high grade apples will be har-
vested in the county, and probably
the amount will not exceed 100000
There are two or three individual or
chardists, notably John M. Miller
who have great crops, but the bulk
OF the fine fruits is in the orchards
owned by large companies, whose
stockholders, in the main, are bust
ness men Of Martinsburg. Many Of the
lawyers, doctors, merchants and
bankers Of the city are orchardists or
stockholders in orchard companies.
Mr.. ,Miller's orchards are we'll
worth special mention. Mr.. Miller
(and his brother, Gold Miller, also
large grower) is son Of the late W.
S. Miller, who raised the first COM
mercial crop Of apples in the county
about 40 years ago. Incidentally, it
may be said that only once since then
ho 90 10
section, and then only slightly John
M. Miller has 900 acres in apple or
chard, 1887 trees, and his crop Of
strictly No. fruit this year will foot
upwards Of 10000 barrels, Grimes
Golden, York Imperial. Stayman Wine
sap, Ben Davis and the other prevail
ing varieties OF the county
The largest orchard companies are
the McKown, the Gold, the Busey and
Buck Hill orchards, Of which Lawyer
x. Poole is secretary, and Walter w.
Trout, assistant cashier Of the PEG.
pies Trust Co., is treasurer; and the
Cushwa, the Thomas, the Grimes
Golden and the North Mountain or
chards, Of which E. G.. Henshaw is
manager. OF the first four named,
the Gold orchard has 14O acres and
$500 trees; the Busey, 1876 acres and
10000 trees; the Buck Hill, 1875 acres
and 11,150 trees; the McKown, 145
acres and 5000 trees. Their aggre-
gate crops this year are about 5000
barrels Of No. 1 Northwest Green
ing; 1000 barrels Of mammoth Black
Twig and $4,000 barrels Of York I'm
perials, Ben Davis, Gano and Stay
man Winesap. Also there are about
1000 barrels Of Keiffer pears. The
McKown orchard, II. H. Rutherford,
manager, won a bronze medal at the
International Apple Shippers meet
ing in Boston for the second best
single plate Of fruit exhibited; also
several ribbons as did the Gold or
chard.
The second group Of orchards men
toned comprise the following: North