AN APPLE ORCHARD SURVEY OF WAYNE COUNTY, NEW YORK. 259 



All through this 'report the fewer orchards, poorer care, and less 

 yields in the south part of the county are apparent. This difference may 

 be due partly to the more favorable climate near the lake, but this factor 

 is a minor one. The south part of the county has, in general, soils that 

 retain their fertility longer than those in the north part. The grain crops 

 consequently continued profitable for a longer time. The orchards are 

 less profitable because less care is given to them. When equally well 

 cared for they have given as good crops as have those in the north part 

 of the county. 



The last few years have seen a rapid improvement in orchard 

 management. Ten years ago there were few cultivated orchards ex- 

 cept those in which crops were grown. Orchards were quite commonly 

 considered to be an unprofitable investment. How could they be 

 profitable when not tilled, pruned, fertilized or sprayed? But a 

 gradual improvement has been taking place and has been reflected in 

 the increased profits, until apples are now looked upon as the money- 

 producing crop of the county. Nearly all orchards have received im- 

 proved care in some respect. It may have been nothing more than a 

 spraying or pruning, or an application of manure when all of these were 

 needed, but the trees have almost invariably responded to any kind of 

 improved care. Fourteen per cent have been distinctly renovated during 

 the past ten years. These have been fairly well cared for in every way. 



The canker worm formerly devastated large numbers of orchards 

 year after year. Spraying came into popularity in combating this pest. 

 The canker worm is now almost exterminated, but the many other good 

 effects of spraying have firmly established this practice. Even those 

 orchards which are not sprayed must be greatly benefited, because the 

 men who do spray help to keep the insect enemies of the entire neighbor- 

 hood in check. 



But what has been done in the past ten years in renovating orchards 

 is small in comparison with what remains to be done. The apple- 

 consuming public is constantly demanding a better product. This means 

 that the fruit-grower who can not or will not produce good apples must 

 fall out of the race. Each year a large number of such men is giving 

 place to energetic men who are not satisfied to grow anything but the 

 best. It is these good fruit-growers that will insure the continued 

 supremacy of New York apples. 



