358 BULLETIN 226. 



above the unsprayed and averaged better in price. The average income 

 per acre from sprayed orchards was $77.84; from unsprayed, $63. In 

 many cases only one spraying was given. 



Distance between trees. A great loss is caused by the trees being too 

 close together. When trees are too close, the lower limbs die and cause a 

 loss not only in the crop, but the dead limbs lead to decayed trunks. In 

 43 per cent of the mature orchards the trees are 30 x 30 feet or less, the 

 average distance being 31.6 feet. The four-year-average yields have been : 

 Trees not over 30 x 30 feet, 186 bushels; 31 x 31 to 35 x 35 feet, 222 

 bushels ; 36 x 36 to 40 x 40 feet, 229 bushels. 



If trees are too close : (i) They are not so healthy. (2) The fruit 

 does not color well. (3) The trees have less bearing surface. (4) In- 

 sects and fungi do more damage. (5) The cost of labor is greater. 



Orchards should be thinned as soon as the trees begin to interfere, 

 before the lower limbs have been killed. Thinning should ordinarily be 

 accomplished by removing every other row diagonally, first having deter- 

 mined which way will leave the largest number of sound trees. 



Age and yield. The maximum yield in Wayne county seems to come 

 at 44 years after planting. This age will doubtless be greater in the future, 

 for good care seems to give a greater gain in the longevity of the trees 

 than in the yearly yield. 



Some orchards planted nearly a century ago are still profitable, but 

 a large number of the neglected orchards that were planted about 

 forty years ago will be of little value in twenty years. In the north 

 part of the county, some young orchards are being planted to meet this 

 contingency. 



Drainage problems. About eight per cent of the orchards need drain- 

 age throughout. Thirty per cent need drainage in part of their area. 

 The greatest loss from poor drainage is not in the damage to entire 

 orchards, but in the small undrained places that occur in many orchards. 



Fifty-four orchards in Walworth township were reported as need- 

 ing drainage. These gave 42 bushels less yield per acre than the 

 average of the township. 



Poor drainage not only affects the vigor of the tree directly, but it 

 encourages canker, collar rot, etc. Land that is well drained for grain 

 crops may not be well drained for apples. 



Soils. The loamy soils are the best for apple production, but good 

 apple crops are grown on quite diversified soils. The treatment that the 





