221(5 NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



into five subdivisions or minor sections by cross spxirs 

 whicli extend from tlie Blue Uidpe to the Allefihany 

 Mountiiins. Each of these minor divisions ha-s its own 

 particular types of soil. That part of the valley where 

 fruit -prowin); is most highly developeil extends from 

 Staimton to the Potomac River. The part of this sec- 

 tion which is drained by the waters of the Roanoke 

 River apjvars to be especially adapted to canning 

 crops. Hotetonrt Coimty is noted for this industry. 

 In the sovithwest, on the elevated land which divides 

 the Hoist ein River district from the New River dis- 

 trict, one will find larfje areas devoted to the growth of 

 cabbage. The soil and climate of this elevated part of 

 the valley seems admirably adapted to the production 

 of this crop. The \' alley tlivision, a.s a whole, promises 

 important development in fruit-growing and other 

 horticultural industries. 



The section of the state known as Appalachia lies 

 to the northwest of the Valley and comprises a total 

 area of about 5,71X) square miles, consisting of large 

 mountain ranges and narrow deep valleys. This part 

 of the state is generally regarded as a grazing section, 

 although there is much good apple and peach land to 

 be foimd on the cross spurs and mountain slopes. 

 Wherever good transportation facilities exist, profitable 

 orchanls are found. Much of tlxis territory, however, 

 remains undeveloped because of its inaccessibility. 



The leading horticultural industries of the state are 

 trucking and apple-growing. The Norfolk, Baltimore 

 and Peninsula areas are especially adapted to the growiih 

 of truck crops and the development of trucking in this 

 region has been on a large scale. Fruit-growing has been 

 largely developed in the Piedmont, Blue Ridge and 

 Valley sections of the state, while special phases of truck- 

 ing have been developed in parts of the Valley section. 

 Appalachia also ofTers good opportunities for fruit^grow- 



2510. Virginia, with the main geographical divisions. 



ing, but the development of the industry there has not 

 been rapid on account of the lack of good transportation 

 faciUties. 



The apple Ls the most important fruit crop of the state. 

 Although this fruit h;iK been grown commercially since 

 colonial times, it is only in more recent years that the 

 indu.stry ha.s as.sumed consirlerable jiroportions. Heavy 

 plantings have been made during the last two decades 

 and the annual yield of this crop is rapidly increasing. 

 The apple succeeds on a commercial scale in the four 

 western divisions of the state, linportant ajijile-grow- 

 ing areas are to be found throughout Piedmont, while 

 in many parts of the Valley and Appalachia it is exten- 

 sively grown. The plantings in the eastern ijart of the 

 state are primarily for home .supply, but there is no 

 reason why many localities in this part of Virginia 

 cannot produce summer apples on a commercial scale. 



The leading varieties of commercial apples are York 

 Imperial, Winesaj), Ben Davis, Albemarle (Yellow 

 Newtown), .Xrkansas, (irimes and Stayman \\'inesap. 

 The peach luis long been regarded as an important 

 fruit crop in Virginia, but it is only within recent years 

 that its culture has assumed large proportions. At 

 the present time the bulk of the peaches produced in this 

 state is harvested from commercial plantings. The 

 crop riiiens in Virginia soon after the main crop of more 

 southern districts is off the market, and is slightly 

 ahead of the large orchards of West Virginia and Mary- 

 land. The peach grows to perfection throughout the 

 state, wherever the frost factor can be safely ignored. 

 The leading commercial varieties of this fruit are 

 Carman, Hiley, Early Crawford, Elbcrta, Late Craw- 

 ford, Smock, White Heath, and Bilyeu. The Elberta 

 is planted more extensively than any other variety. 



Other fruits, including the cherry, plum and grape, 

 are important in certain restricted locations, but their 

 cultivation is not general. Pear orchards have very 

 generally proved unprofitable on account of the 

 ravages of fire blight. 



Small-fruits are grown in many parts of the state for 

 local market, but their production with reference to 

 northern markets is limited except in case of the straw- 

 berry, which is grown extensively in the trucking regions 

 of the state and constitutes one of the most important 

 sources of revenue. 



Among the truck crops grown in the state, the potato 

 sweet-potato and salad are the most imjjortant. The 

 potato is grown almost entirely as a truck crop in 

 Virginia, that is, early varieties are chiefly used and 

 the crop is harvested before it is fully matured. Large 

 areas in the Norfolk and Peninsular districts are utilizeid 

 in the production of potatoes. The eastern part of the 

 state is ideally adapted to the growth of this plant as a 

 truck crop. In the western part of the state the potato 

 is grown to some extent as a field cro]!, but this type of 

 potato-growing is not extensive. A few localities with 

 high altitude grow potatoes to supply the truck-farmers 

 with tubers for seeding. When grown for this purpose 

 the crop has generally proved rather profitable. 



The sweet potato is next in importance to the potato 



as a truck crop. The great bulk of this crop is grown in 



the Norfolk and Peninsular areas. Sweet potatoes are not 



grown outside of Tidewater except in a small 



way for local market and for home use. 



In addition to the crops mentioned above, 

 other leading croi)s can be classed under 

 one head as salads or pot-herbs. Spinach, 

 kale, and lettuce are all grown on an exten- 

 sive scale in the Norfolk district. Many 

 growers confine their efforts largely to these 

 K^ crops. The profits are not great some years, 

 ®^ but the grower who sticks to these crops 

 I year after year usually makes handsome 

 S profits in the long run. 



Cabbage is another important truck crop 

 of Virginia. It is grown for early market in 

 the region around Norfolk, while it is grown very exten- 

 sively for both early and winter markets in southwest 

 Virginia. It constitutes the chief money crops in cer- 

 tain parts of Smyth and Wythe counties where it is 

 grown on a large scale as a field crop. 



The tomato is a very important crop in certain parts 

 of the state. While it is grown extensively for general 

 market in the principal trucking districts of the state, 

 it is not a dominant crop in these .sections. It becomes 

 of primary importance in the canning districts, particu- 

 larly in certain parts of Botetourt and Bedford coun- 

 ties, where the canning industry is firmly established. 

 In addition to trucking and ajjple-growing, which are 

 the chief horticultural industries, grape-growing, small- 

 fruit-culture and the nvirsery business have each 

 received their .share of attention. Grape-growing vyas 

 once a thriving industry in the Charlottesville section 



