Battle Field State Park Gets New Apple Trees

PRAIRIE GROVE -- The apple orchard at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park has 24 new apple trees.

Circle B Tree Trimming planted the small trees, each about 5 feet tall, in December to replace trees that have died over the years because of drought, disease or wildlife.

Jessee Cox, park superintendent, said the trees would produce fruit in three to five years.

Cox said most of the new trees are Arkansas Black Apple varieties but a few are Arkansas Winesap. Both varieties are native to Arkansas.

Former park Superintendent Ed Smith re-established an apple orchard at the park in March 2001, Cox said. Park historians knew the Borden family had an orchard but have not been able to document the exact type of orchard.

"It was just called 'The Orchard' but everyone around here had apple orchards and Washington County was known for its apple orchards," Cox said. "We're positive it was an apple orchard."

The Arkansas Black Apple was the most common apple tree in Washington County in the 1860s so park officials believe that variety is the one that was used in the Borden orchard.

Arkansas Black was popular, Cox said, because it repelled cedar apple rust, a disease that comes from cedar trees.

Cox has found that an apple orchard is a lot of work. Cages will be placed around the young trees to protect them from deer and other wildlife. One time, rabbits came through the cages and chewed off the bark from the trees. A PVC pipe has been inserted into the ground next to each tree for watering.

Ray Braly with Circle B maintains the orchard for the state park and the Ladies' Auxiliary raises money to help care for the orchard.