An Apple Orchard Survey of Ontario County 



183 



AGE OF TREES 



According to Table 1 1 the typical age of apple trees in Ontario county 

 is between 30 and 34 years, orchards of such age comprising 23.4 per cent 

 of the total. About 79 per cent of the orchards contain trees 30 years old 

 or more, and 14 per cent are 50 years old or more. Orchards of young trees 

 are comparatively few. 



TABLE II. Distribution of Orchards According to Age of Trees* 



Orchards 



Age 



I- 9 years 

 10-14 years 

 15-19 years 

 20-24 years 

 25-29 years 

 30-34 years 

 35-39 years 

 40-44 years 

 45-49 years 

 50+ 



* The large total (419) for orchards in this table is due to the fact that some of the orchards, containing 

 trees of various ages, were duplicated in the different groups. 



Relation of age of trees to yield and income 



The greatest four-year average yield occurs in the group of orchards 

 between 25 and 29 years of age, which produced 65 barrels per acre. The 

 orchards between 50 and 59 years old produced practically the same 

 amount. The four-year average income for these groups, however, is 

 exceeded by the group of orchards between 40 and 44 years of age, for 

 which the four-year average income is $128. Trees under 25 years 

 and over 60 years do not produce as much as the general average yield. 

 These low figures, however, may be due in part to the small number of 

 orchards in the groups. 



The low yield and income for the group of orchards from 45-49 years 

 old are due, doubtless, to the condition which is so common, namely, 

 neglect. In many an old orchard close planting and bad pruning have 

 resulted in producing trees with tops forming a mass of interlocking 

 branches which cut ofE the light and air from the soil and lower part of 

 the tree, killing the lower branches and reducing the bearing surface 



