Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-11
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~ ~ AND SUCCESSFUL FARMING
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The Apple Industry Of Georgia.
AND SUCCESSFUL FARMING
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The Apple Industry OF Georgia,
The apple industry Of Georgia has
now assumed large proportions. 1t
! is an interest which Is destined to
grow rapidly in the not distant flu
! ture. 1t has been aptly said that
an apple a day keeps the doctor
away" There is growing bellef
in the need and use OF fruit and an
appreciation OF the value OF apples
existed. With the rapid growth OF
urban population in our country
mere is every reason to believe that
a bright outlook for the future Of
the apple industry is assured.
Georgia has much to be thankful
for, because her soils and climate en-
able her to produce great variety
She now takes high rank as peach
state. There is no reason why she
should not enjoy. an equally high
rank in apple production. There are
gia still available at reasonable
prices which will grow the choicest
of apples. There is a great and rela-
lively new and undeVeIoped kingdom
to be exploited in that section OF the
state. 1t is therefore meet and prop
er that information relative to Or
chard and site, and the choosing of
be emphasized at this time. The
Georgia State horticultural society
has done much to promote the well
fare OF the apple industry. The facts
presented are based primarily on
their findings.
The Georgia State Horticultural
society has divided the state of
Georgia into four horticultural Sec
lions, namely: the mountain section,
the middle section, the southern Sec
ton and the coastal section. General
~ speaking the apple is not adapted
TO the middle, southern and coastal
sections, though there are some va
rieties that thrive exceedingly well
in the middle region and some COM
mercial orchards are located there,
but the main apple region of the
state is in the mountain section. In
many respects it closely resembles
ne noted regions of Oregon and
Washington where fruits Of widely
nnoWn excellence are produced.
The soil of the northern region is
rlch In the necessary plant foods, the
analyses shoWig higher percentages
the state. The generally topography of
Inc country Is mountainous, the
lands available for apple culture,
having an elevation of from 1000 to
800 feet. Sections Of this region
attain greater elevation than this
out on account of their steepness
and inaccessibility can hardly be
considered available for orchards.
The rainfall in the northern coun-
Ties is often more than 70 inches in
d year. The long growing season
common to all OF the south, the
bright sunny days and, fairly cool
nights OF this mountainous section,
primarily adapt it to the culture of
,ipples. When the possibilities in
apple growing in North Georgia
were realized, the price of land rap
idly advanced, and hillsides that
could have been bought a few years
ago for $500 an acre now command
from $500 to $4,000 an acre, de-
pending Of course upon their acces-
sibility to the railroads and whether
or not they have been cleared.
Comparing the price of land and
the necessary outlay in money and
time to bring an orchard into bear
Georgia orchards can be brought in
to profitable production at consid-
erably less cost than in the west.
r. H. Black, formerly manger of
one of the largest commercial Or
chards in the state, estimates that it
orchard into bearing at seven Or
eight years of age. This cost in
cludes, of course, the purchase of the
land, clearing, ct cetera. This cost
may be considerably reduced where
an orchard is planted as an adjunct
to farm already established.
The mountainous section of this
state is not well supplied with rail-
roads and there are thousands of
acres of excellent apple lands so far
removed from railroads that they are
not at the present available for the
planting of orchards. Therefore, the
location Of the apple paintings in
north Georgia is determined, to a