206 



Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



The statistics for 1880 of ten best counties are as follows: 



Counties. 



Jefierson . . . 

 Waukesha . . 



Rock 



Walworth . . 

 Sheboygan . 

 Milwaukee . 

 Columbia . . 



Dodge 



Fond du Lac 

 Dane 



Bushels 

 yield. 



287,978 

 283,190 

 251,508 

 250,230 

 221,503 

 217,760 

 208,022 

 197,482 

 197,365 

 113,892 



•a 



."* 

 "?. 



.9 



1 



2 

 3 



4 

 5 

 6 

 7 

 8 

 9 

 10 



Bearing 

 trees. 



114,055 



117,026 



129,764 



122, 834 



86.582 



63,743 



73,022 



105, 436 



113,921 



113,892 



m 



t-i 



4 



a 



1 



2 



7 

 5 

 6 



To be sure, 1880 was a remarkable year for fruit in the west, 

 but not so exceptional that it may not be repeated this present 

 year, for while large numbers of trees bore their last crop in 

 1880, two stand ready to fill their places by the rate of 

 increase in bearing trees. How much surplus of even that great 

 crop did we have for exportation? Taking the population of the 

 state for that year, which was 1,315,480, and allowing that two- 

 thirds of the crop was good for market and house use, or 

 2,016,445 bushels, we have for the year's supply of green and 

 dried apples less than two bushels per capita. 



We learn from the same report also that ten counties, em- 

 bracing about one-half our state on the north, produced about 

 two thousand bushels of apples, a mere fraction of the great 

 total of over three and one-half million bushels. This region 

 now has 40,000 inhabitants, to be increased to a million within 

 the life of some who hear this paper. 



Our statistical figures may be only approximately correct, yet 

 they do give us the only data from which we can estimate the 

 extent and product of our orchards as well as other farm crops, 

 and will in time become reliable and exceedingly valuable. 

 They show, 1st, the magnitude of the crop; 2d, its distribution; 

 and 3d, the ratio of increase or decrease as a whole, and in the sev- 

 eral counties. It is desirable that the way may be open for the 



