Opportunities In Fruit Growing (1910) From the Pictorial Souvenir Bentonville, Arkansas --Fruit City--
There are some ten million apple trees in Arkansas, about seven million of which are in two counties of Northwest Arkansas. A full crop at the present time would amount to nine to ten [train] car loads of five hundred bushels each and about a million pound of dried fruit.
Were spraying and thoroughtly up to date methods of orcharding generally followed by orchard owners the output of exisiting areas would be increased about five fold. Experimental results have shown a ten fold increase, but the figure is made five fold to be conservative. Our climate and soil produces an apple of high color and quality. All that is needed is for the grower to do his part in the way of intelligent care grading, and a business method in marketing to make Northwestern Arkansas the greatest apple section in the world.
One of the many apple farms located close to Bentonville
Under proper care orchards will prove a profitable investment for twenty-five or forty years. The apple tree is by no means a short lived tree under intelligent care. Much depends on who owns the orchard, under neglect the apple orchard is short lived and is scarcely to be considered profitable. We don't need any people here who have the "get rich quick and without idea in their make up, or under their hats." We do need however men who love fruit growing and will put energy and intelligence into their efforts.
With all out vast plantings, the business of fruit growing in Arkansas may be said to be about wholly undeveloped . So here are almost unlimited opportunties for those who have in them the love of "doing things" along with the love of making money. Only a small per cent of our orchardists are following up to date methods; too much of the time fruit growing is a mere side issue. The writer has closely studied orcharding in Arkansas for ten years. The climate is the grandest to be found any where in the world; Mountain scenery, pure water, cool nights except for a week or two in summer, mild winters, early springs, churches, schools, all that make civilization. Are you skeptical? I was, but "I came and saw" and was conquered. Lands range in value from $250.00 to $500.00 an acre, according to nearness to town. Whether cleared, whether in a state of cultivation, whether planted in orchard, and whether the orchardist is an orchardist, or a mere fly speck on a map.
This is an image from the Bentonville Fruit Fair that used to be held on the Bentonville Square. It eventually became the Benton County Fair.
The State University Agricultural College and the U. S. Experiment Station is located in Fayetteville . Bentonville is a center of culture, business society, and ideal climate. The fruit growers and farmers are given all profitable help by the officers of the Experment Station and Agricultural College men, who are past masters in their own particular fields. If you are looking for a better home, business opportunities, have intelligence, a little money, energy, perseverance and enterprise come to Northwest Arkansas - come to Bentonville. Here are great opportunities in the fruit growing, poultry, dairying, separately or in combination. D. E. Eicher, Springdale was formerly an undertaker in Iowa, he is now (in about six years) the best posted fruit grower in Arkansas ask him. Captain G. T. Lincoln, Bentonville, was formerly a traveling man; he is now the best known fruit grower in Arkansas, ask him. . H. W. Gipple has seventy acres of orchard, spent $3,000 in 1909 in care of orchard produced 9,000 barrels of apples at $3,000 making $27,000. Netted $24,000, twelve crops in fifteen. Ask him.
Thousands are coming to Arkansas, they didn't know till told and Arkansas didn't advertise.
By Ernest Walker, Prof. Horticulture Experiment Station, University of Arkansas.