Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1914-05-21
BIG APPLE CROP LIKELY
BRILLIANT PROSPECTS IN THE
SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
Growers PrrpsTirs For An Abaudent
Yield Of Fruit crsie aud Barrel
Makers Bpsy-Trces In Fall
Bloom.

Makers Bpsy-Trees In Fall
Bloom.
from one end Of The Shenslidnah al
ley to tie other there was NJ yer sucl
prospect for fri.lt as ih,re at thi
time. The profaeirH Of bloom indicatsl
that iha trees viii be over bny ped
Pears. cherries. pluma. peachts sni
other early fruits are in full bloora. AM
thu trees are now pillars of Harvelani
beauty. blossom covered to the end D
every tWiy, Apple blossoms are jus
coming ont pnw.It ixdil leult t0imAg
inc ! more beautiful scene than thai
revealed by q drive through the various
counties these days. The pink ana
white beauty Of the blossoming or
,chards the deli,ate foliage Of the trees
the rich green Of the fields of growing
wheat and grass in luxurisnt Ioveliness
the contrasting browns Of the newly
blowed fields. combine to make the his
- AL =. :. -.
k0ric ard battle.scarred valley of tbs
Shenandoah yeritable paradise,
Scores Of people from the eastern
oities are taking advantage Of the op.
sportunity now presented to visit THU
section o the state. The greater mum
Der of the visitors come in automobiles,
and they are usually equipped with
cameras. The tu -npikes spreading put
from Winchester i. every direction ale
in splendid condition for motoring
Charles Dana Gibson and wife, of New
York, and a party of their relatives
and friends were among the most
prominent visitors of the past week,
and while here Mr.. Gibson and his
friends made tour through the big
orchards. he made many sketches.
which he will use in his work.
larke county, viii haadjoins Freder-
lex on the east. is becoming interested
IN fruit more than ever before. Some
years ago commercial apple orcha, d
was a rare sight In that Ipca'ity. but
slnce q number OF Winches ter n en-
have bought land there and demopstrat.
ed fully that the soil il well adapted to
apple culture many Of the farms are
being col verified into orcl ards. Tie
fruit growers have organized a large
association, and a rou ing meeting was
held in Berryvllle. the county seat, on
May 2. wh-n the board Of supervisors
hoard arguments in favor Of ado ptinel
the cedar tree law. John M, Steck. II
Winchesler, who framed the law as,
passed hy the Virginia general assem-.
biy, explained the meastife 10 detsil.
md Il - e1piiesekel LlliS Ialg sHiSof u III
order II 10 BE I'D forced III slSfk county.
From repof ii received her from the
West Virginia county 81
Jefferson. there will be bumper crop
Of apples and other fruits, butzssifie
growers in that county do not expect
to get as much money per barrel for
their fruit as they did last year, be-
cause Of the fact that the crop ia the
United States, as Indicated By reports
il The Packer promises to be large.
too. In tie aggregate, however, the
apple men say they win profit as well,
il not better. than year ago, because
they will have more fruit to sell. A
careful survey recently made puts the
number OF apple trees in bearing in
jefferson county at about 2sO, 900, and
It is estimated that in the total acreage
planted to apples there are in that
county upwards of 500, 200 trees.
Many of the Frederick county grow
ers will not deal with home buyers this
season, and will ship their best fruit
direct to Europe, Some Of the pro-
ducers in the Winchester district have
made an excellent reputation in the
English markets in particular by ship.
ping apples which are of uniform Quail
ity through the entire barrel, and by
devoting special attention to grading
and packing and labelling the barrels
with their personal guarantee they
have had no trouble whatever in get
ting splendid returns. Several large
English firms have agents in Winchts s.
ter the whole year. aad they keep con-
stantly in touch with local people!
Barrel makers are no longer manu-
featuring barrels of different sizes,
They have of one accord adopted tie
standard narrel. which was provided
for in the Sulzer bill. The provisions
of this bill are complied with in every
particular by the local manufacturers
and packers and each barrel is 80
marked before it leaves the railroad
stations. Anticipating q large demand