APPLES: Apple Industry in Northwest Arkansas

Article from the Ozark Folk Encyclopedia describing the apple industry in Northwest Arkansas.APPLES Apple Industry in Northwest Arkansas For more than fifty years, Benton and Washington counties, in northwest Arkansas, were two of the leading apple producing counties of the nation. Fine orchards dotted the landscape producing Jonathan, Ben Davis, Winesap, Delicious, Yellow Transparent and Golden Grimes apples. The shipping centers were Bentonville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Springdale and Fayetteville. A large vinegar plant was put into oper- ation at Rogers. For cross-polination bees are used. Numerous hives are seen in the orchards. For many years apple-blossom tours were sponsored by the above towns in April. In the 1920's Rogers had an apple blossom festival that was one of the big attractions of the State. The apple industry is now at low ebb in this area. Dairying and broiler raising have taken its place. For a novel on the apple industry in Benton County see, And Then We'll be Rich, by Clare Bell. (New York, 1951)