TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION. 
77 
tainly by supplying a large amount of liumus matter to such a soil I am in- 
-clined to believe that pippin culture might be extended to certain districts of 
the valley though they are not naturally pippin lands. There are many foot- 
hills and cross spurs of the mountains extending into this valley which break 
up its even course as a comparatively level, rolling, farming country and on 
the slopes of these orcharding has, as yet, scarcely been attempted; hence 
I cannot speak especially of them. The fact is, that these valley lands have 
been so valuable for grain and stock raising that from one end of this sec- 
tion to the other orcharding has scarcely begun. 
As the chief centers of orcharding in the valley I mention the district about 
Winchester and some new ventures at Mt. Jackson in Shenandoah county 
where a large area of land has been planted to apples, and another ven- 
ture of like character near Salem in Roanoke county. These last two ven- 
tures are the largest orcharding plants in the state of Virginia and com- 
prise respectively fifty-four thousand and forty-four thousand trees, apple 
and peach intermingled. While I have serious doubts as to the outcome of 
ventures of this character on so large a scale, I have no doubt whatever that 
there are thousands of acres of land in this district of the state which will 
produce the choicest York Imperial and Ben Davis apples. I do not advise 
Winesap except where the sand rock distinctly outcrops so as to form with 
the limestone a well drained thoroughly mellow loam soil. 
In the high, southwestern portion of the valley the Virginia Beauty, a 
variety little known to the trade, is grown to some extent; but I am not yet 
inclined to recommend it for large plantations. The Baldwin is also grown 
and comes to great perfection; but, unfortunately, it matures so early that 
it is scarcely a winter fruit. For commercial planting we are practically 
limited to the well known sorts already mentioned. However, considera- 
ble plantings are being made of Arkansas, the so called Mammoth Black Twig , 
and Stayman Winesap and other sorts as yet untested. The Arkansas, I can 
say from personal experience, having had it in our orchard for eleven years, 
has thus far set fruit very shyly, but grows to good size, is deep, dark red in 
•color, and in quality inferior to Winesap. 
APPALACHIA. 
The high Appalachia district which lies above the valley lands to the 
west and northwest comprises about one-fourth of the state and is of a very 
rugged mountainous nature, ranging from two to nearly five thousand feet 
high. Many of these mountain sides offer the most favorable situations in 
the state for red apple culture. Yet, at the same time, many of the flatter 
lands and narrow valleys are unsuited to apple culture because of the drain- 
age of cold air into them and the further fact that the abundant supply 
of water pouring doAvn into these valleys renders their climate especially 
moist. This area of the state has been less examined by me than any other 
and it is only here and there in it that apple culture has obtained a foot-hold 
Yet on the very elevated districts of Russell, Wise, Lee, Scott and Washing- 
ton counties, I am certain from personal examination that there are valua- 
ble apple lands. Especially on the line of the Clinch mountains in the first 
named county, there is an outcrop of granitic rock mingling with the sand 
and limestone forming a large area of black soil exceedingly rich, rising to 
an elevation of about three thousand feet which to all appearances is natural 
pippin land. 
