Apple Orchard Survey of Niagara County. 319 



SUMMARY 



Extent of the survey. — During the summers of 1905, 1906 and 1907, 

 over 716* orchards containing 6,000 acres were canvassed in Niagara 

 County. There are approximately 24,200 acres set to apples. Repre- 

 sentative districts all through the county were examined. 



Age of the trees. — A majority of the orchards were planted thirty to 

 forty-five years ago. Five and four-tenths per cent were set out before 

 1850, 81. 1 per cent were planted between 1850 and 1879, and 13.6 per 

 cent since 1880. During the past seven years, the scale has deterred 

 many from planting orchards, but the decreased plantings began twenty- 

 seven years ago, and the acreage has been on the decline since 1880. 



Soils. — The Dunkirk loam and the Dunkirk clay loam are the best 

 soils for apple production. Clyde loam gives the lowest yields. Too 

 little attention has been given to drainage, and much loss has been 

 sustained because of this neglect. 



Drainage. — Fifty-two and two-tenths per cent of the orchards have 

 good drainage, about twenty-six per cent have fair drainage, and about 

 eleven per cent have poor drainage. About eleven per cent have locally- 

 bad drainage. A little money spent in draining the orchard land would 

 prove a good investment. 



Fertilization. — Barnyard manure is used more ithan any other fer- 

 tilizer. Sixty-one per cent of the orchards receive manure, about four 

 per cent are given commercial fertilizer, and about twenty-two per cent 

 are not fertilized at all. Cover-crops are used to the extent of nearly ten 

 per cent. 



Tillage. — Approximately fifty-one per cent of the orchards have been 

 tilled for five or more years, and twenty-eight and nine-tenths per cent 

 have been in sod for the same time. Five-year averages show larger 

 yield and greater income for tilled than untilled orchards. The per- 

 centage of tilled orchards seems to be on the increase, for in 1905 fifty- 

 two per cent of the orchards were tilled. There are many sod orchards 

 that are well cared for. Of the sod orchards, those not pastured have 

 given the largest average yields. Where pasturing has been practiced, 

 hog treatment has proved the best. 



Enemies of the apple. — During the last six years the scale and cod- 

 ling moth have been the worst enemies of the apple. Collar rot is bad 

 only in sections, and generally on poorly drained land. More attention 

 must be given to spraying to insure good quality of fruit. 



Spraying. — About four-fifths of the orchards are generally sprayed. 

 The presence of the scale has made very little difference in spraying 



* Includes 135 orchards not embraced in Table I on page 288. 



