APPLE ORCHARD SURVEY OF NIAGARA COUNTY 



GENERAL STATEMENT AND RESULTS* 



By M. B. Cummings 



This bulletin is the product of field studies of apple orchards in Niagara 

 County. It is a long story briefly told. The purpose, however, is to 

 present the facts in regard to orchard management in Niagara County. 

 It is a contribution of knowledge to the actual status of the apple in- 

 dustry of New York State. Contrasts and comparisons with condi- 

 tions in Orleans (Bull. No. 229) and Wayne (Bull. No. 226) Counties 

 can be made. The careful reader will find in the tables presented here- 

 with, material for extensive studies. It would be interesting if each fruit 

 grower would study these tables in relation to his own orchard. 



Detailed descriptions of apple enemies and factors of orchard manage- 

 ment are omitted. For a full discussion of these subjects the reader 

 should consult Bulletin 226, entitled "An Apple Survey of Wayne 

 County," which is an exhaustive treatise of general apple-orchard 

 problems. 



Methods of zi^ork. — The field studies were made in a manner very 

 similar to that of previous surveys. The canvasser was provided with 

 camera, note-book, bicycle, etc. The computations for yields and 

 prices were based on-ly on bearing orchards. In all cases, three bushels 

 constitute a barrel. Only a few parts of the county were omitted. 

 With the exception of Wheatfield, Pendleton, Royalton, and parts of 

 Hartland, the entire county was surveyed. A few orchards as small 

 as three acres were canvassed, although most of them of less than five 

 acres were omitted. Thus, although many little orchards were left out 

 large family orchards were included in this survey. 



Siae of the industry. — In 1890, according to the census report, Niagara 

 County had 1,033,454 apple trees of bearing age, which was the largest 



* The orchard survey campaign. — This bulletin is the third in the series of 

 orchard survey bulletins. The first two on the apple-growing of Wayne and 

 Orleans Counties quickly ran out of print, attesting their usefulness in a very 

 satisfactory way. The data for three additional surveys are in course of prepara- 

 tion. These cover Monroe, Orange and Ontario Counties. Other surveys will be 

 undertaken as time and means permit. 



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