VIRGINIA 



1995 



tion is similar in character. Prominent 

 in this section there is also a red clay, 

 called by some "the Porter loam," which 

 adds to the quality of the soils. There 

 are very few apples and pears grown in 

 the coast section, this region being better 

 adapted to the growing of small fruits 

 and to trucking. The apples are grown 

 mostly in the Piedmont and valley sec- 

 tions. 



Virginia has come to be famous for the 

 fine quality of her Winesap and Yellow 

 Newtown apples. The Yellow Newtown 

 in that section bears the name of Albe- 

 marle Pippin, after Albemarle county, 

 where it grew to such perfection that it 

 became famous in both Europe and 

 America. The climate on both sides of 

 the mountain range is well adapted to 

 the apple as is evidenced by the fine, vig- 

 orous trees, some of them more than 100 

 years old. Under especially favored con- 

 ditions of soil and moisture, where the 

 roots could penetrate deeply, where 

 there was seepage from the higher lands 

 furnishing plenty of moisture, and yet 

 where there was good drainage, some of 



these trees have yielded fabulous crops 

 and brought immense profits. One tree 

 measures nine feet five inches in circum- 

 ference; from side to side its branches 

 measure 90 feet; 130 bushels of apples 

 have been picked in one year. Our ob- 

 servation of old trees in general is that 

 the fruit is of inferior grade, but where 

 the life and vigor of the tree can be pre- 

 served this is not necessarily true. 



In this section the inhabitants point 

 with pride to the fact that here Thomas 

 Jefferson took an active interest in horti- 

 culture, and from the "vicinity of Monti- 

 cello apples won their first supremacy 

 in the markets of the world." 



The Blue Ridge and Appalachian sec- 

 tions up to an altitude of 4,000 feet may 

 grow good fruit in specially favored sec- 

 tions, in coves where the soil is rich in 

 humus and where there is seepage to 

 furnish sufficient moisture, but these 

 lands are largely undeveloped. 



Of the fruits of Virginia apples con- 

 tribute about nine-tenths, while all other 

 fruits, such as peaches, pears, grapes, 

 cherries, apricots, plums, etc., contribute 



Rose Cliff Orchard, Waynesboro, Va. 



