Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/58

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES yazTS. It is a natural product tUat niau lias never been able to imitate successfully. Among the famous products o f (his section was the Creveling grape» propagated by Mrs. Charily Creveling, w ife o f John Creveling, a member of the Society of Friends, resitling near Espy. T he first vine, from which cuttings were sent all over the Union, ran over a large pear tree bcsulc the residence o f Mr. Creveling. Catawissa. which gave a variety o f wheat to the world, w as also the home o f two fruits of national fame, which has not been dimnic<l even in this modern and ra]iid age. The Catawissa monthly raspberry w as propagated from a single plant discovered in the Friends’ burial ground (here and is noted from the fact that blossoms and berries appear at the same time from Ju ly to October. The Sharplcss seedling strawberry was originated in 187a by J. K. Sharpless. o f Catawissa, and extens­ ively exploiteil by J. L. Oitlon, o f Blooms­ burg. One of the industries of these counties which has lapsed into the realm o f memory is the production o f maple sugar. In early days maple syrup and sugar were staple commodilieft, one townsliii>— Sugarloaf— being named from the chief o f its products. The sugar season w as as anxiously anticipated as the wheat har*cst, and w as more sure and lucrative. In the present time the loss of the noble maples, devastated by the w'oodman's axe, has caused an almost entire abandonment o f this once fam ous industry. AVPLF ORCH.RDS

Pennsylvania is third in the list o f apple producing States, and has practically driven the western apple from the home market, be­ cause a better apple can be produced here at a low er cost. T his is true also o f Columbia and Montour counties, where several varieties o f apples have origirated, among them being the Fom w ald, Priestly and Pennock varieties. Some of the best apples exhibited at recent State fairs have been from these counties and have received honorable mention. T h e pioneer commercial orchardist in Col­ umbia coiint%* is "F a rm e r" Creasy, master of the State Grange, who has developed to per­ fection several x'aricties o f apples on his farm, east o f Catawissa. J. I^. John, o f Millville, in an old orchard that had been declared unpro­ ductive, produced hundreds o f bushels o f marketable apples. A. G. Everett o f Pine township took hold o f an old orchard that had

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never given him a profitable crop, and in the first year sold over three hundrcil bushels of good apples. T he next year he sold almost six hundred bushels o f a better quality, and in the fourth year he harvested nearly twelve hundred bushels. . othcr instance is the experience o f Ira Chcrrington. of Roaringcreek township, Columbia county. He put brains, hard work and attention into an old orchard, and the first year after he began experimenting harvC5te<l a larger crop than ever before in its history. T he following year he picked from the old trees a crop of 1,800 bushels o f mar­ ketable apples. Instances o f (his kind arc occurring all over the two counties, and will I k multiplied 111 the coming years, a fte r the intelligent care now licing bestowed on the orchards brings forth fruit. Some of these farm ers have received over a dollar a bushel for their fruit in the local markets, but at less prices the industry is still very remunerative. I f the counties continue to progress in (his way during the coming years Adams county, now (he foremost fruit raising county tn the State, will have to put forth renewed efforts to retain the prize medal. Aside from the big apple crops that are raised in Columbia and Montour counties there are a multitude o f smaller fruits that, white singly insignificant, together form an aggre­ gate o f no mean volume, and arc a source of considerable revenue to the farm er and his family. Each farm has a numlKr o f cherry, peach, quince, pear and other fruit trees. lK*aring a more or less valuable burden each year. There arc one or two large peach orchards, but most of the farm ers content themselves with raising only enough fo r local trade. Nor arc the cultivated fruits the only profitable prod­ ucts. The crabapplc, luicklcbcrry, elderlKrry, chestnut, walnut and hickorynut arc plentiful and affonl a source o f spending money for the voungcr generation that is not o f inconsid­ erable importance. When taken altogether the financial value of these fruits and nuts assumes proportions that makes them count in the statistics of the counties. S WI SR R.MSTKO

It is taken fo r granted (hat the average farm er will raise enough pork for his own use, and that is tm e of Columbia and Montour counties, but in addition enough hogs are raised to make the industry quite a lucrative one to the shippers supplying outside markets.