Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1920-08-11
FRUIT IN TENNESSEE
When Properly Cared for It Greatly Sur
passes Western Fruit.

HuoSSS hilI
The Tennessee State Horticulture
Society has given out some facts re
lative to fruit growing in Tennessee
that is unknown to many. Thos
facts are:
The income to Tennessee from
strawberry sales for the year 191:
was nearly $3,ONO,OOO.
Rev. G. NJ. Weimer, of Dayton
Tennessee, cleared $925.6O to the
acre on his strawberry farm.
Taking summary of 29 farms in
different parts of the State where
acurate records of expenses and
sales were kept, the average net
profit per acre on strawberries for
the pear 1919 was $33735.
1t is claimed by many of the pack
ers and extracting companies that
Tennessee berries are better quality
and finer flavor than those produced
in any other state.
From one row of delicious apple
trees, Mr.. W. A. Sherman, of Day
ton, Tennessee, sold $6715 worth Of
apples per tree in 1919.
In 1918, Mr.. J. D. Ellis, a large
commercial orchardist, of Dayton,
Tennessee, gathered As bushels of
apples from one 20-year old Paragon
tree.
Mr.. Harvey Oakley, in Sewer
county, 1919 cleared $1,000 from
100 apple trees in his home orch
ard.
In 1918, Mr.. Clifford Moore, of
Portland. Tenn, sold enough apples
from his 4O-acre Early apple orch
ard to pay him back the original cost
of the land and all expenses of devel-
oping the orchard up to that date,
leaving his orchard as net profit.
From one ten-year old tree he sold
% busels of apples at $1.75 per
bushel, $3.50.
Prof. o. M. Watson, University of
Tennessee, has tree over 78 years
old in his orchard in Sewer county.
This tree is in good health and still
bearing crops of apples.
According to income tax reports,
some of the commercial orchards
are paying their owners a di7Tidend
on valuation of more than $4,000
per year.
Apple trees in Tennessee come IN
bearing years earlier than t'.ey do
in the states of Ohio, OregoA and |
Washington. Our growing period |
averages 208 days each yea. We
have an early spring and long crow
ing season which promote unusual
growth and insure early n maturity.
Soil rainfall, sunshine, elevation |
perfect air and water drainage with |
cool nights combine to produce guam
tity of yield, size, color, f1avo2 and
keeping qualities. One man in de-
scribing Tennessee apples said,
"They have the color and size of the |
western apple and the flavor of a
New England apple"
Mr.. Henry Pointer, of Spring Hill,
Tennesse, sold his entire crop of
summer apples for $3.40 per bushcl
f. o. b. Spring Hill.
In many section of Tennessee the
old settlers claim that fruit around
them has not been killed by frost
or freeze more than once in the past
80 years.
One bushel of apples removes
from the soil mineral salts to the
value of 212c; one bushel of wheat
removes from the soil mineral salts
to the value of 43c; one bushel of
corn removes from the soil mineral
salts to the value of SAC. In other
words, 600 bushels of apples will
take less plant food from the soil
than so bushels of corn or 35 BUSH
els of wheat.
On account of Tennessee's near
ness to market and season of ripen-
ing, her average price for apples is
higher than any other apple states.
In spite of the constantly increas-
ing demand for fruit, the decrease in
production for the past six years has
been very marked, falling off over
ninety millions of bushels.
That fruit growing could be made
,ery profitable in this county there
S not the slightest doubt, if proper
Effort was put forth in pruning
md spraying along with good meth
IDS in handling.