Viij'SUi ER APPLE BUYING CHased on Results of a U.S.D.A. Consumer Preference Survey, 



This study, conducted in 19h9 by the Bureau of Agricultural EconoKics, was 

 designed to obtain information about consumer preferences and practices -;,'ith 

 regard to deciduous fruits. Apples vrere the chief subject, but attention v/as als^ 

 given to fresh and commerciallj'--prepared apple products. A total of 2,5'73 house- 

 holds were used in the saraplc; and these vrere considered representative of the 

 k2 million private households in the United States. Urban and iniral households, 

 these of different income levels, community size, and fnmilj' size were all 

 proportionately represented. Additional interviews were conducted in Philadelphia 

 and Chicago, giving special attention to the use of and attitudes tovrax'd small 

 apples. 



Homemakers are likely to use apples in more than one way. About Ii5f' of those 

 who used fresh apples said they served them raw7 baked and cooked. One out of 

 three reported serving them both raw and cooked. Only 17% reported using apples 

 ravv' only. 



Consui.iers wtio used few apples vire re. less likely to make as i-.any uses cf thci:i . 



The way in \/hich apples v/ere used most was eating then, raw. Ilearly 70'' of 

 tht homemakers who used apples reported this the most frequent use. About 2Sr 

 said cooking i/as the most Lmportant use. Only 3r said they used most of their 

 apples for baking. This pattern held true in both urban and rural areas. 



Ninety-seven per cent of those v;ho used apples from the 19h8 crop said thi.y 

 Jtrvcd them raw ; 67f^', in salads; 66f made apple pies; ST^'- cooked applesauce; and 

 hUt baked the apples. 



:!ost homemakers , both urban and rura]., said they preferred to have sep-:-ratt 

 pieces of apple in their pies after they v.-ere cooked, rather than have them cookt u 

 smooth . Only a third of the rural and about a fourtli of the urbaji homemakers 

 rndicated they preferred a smooth texture. 



!!ost homemakers preferred to have applesauce cooked smooth . Only a fifth of 

 Che rural homemakers and even fewer urban homemakers favored applesauce v/ith piec- : 

 'f apple in it. 



— Charles E. Es}ibacl; 



■Jr •/<■ -/i" •J\- -/O "/C" -)i- ■/'- -"- ■''- "?J" ^ "X" 'Js* '/- iS" -/' "W" 



Apples are influenced by Nitrogen Fertilisers . Tests at the Ohio Agricul- 

 tural Experii.ient Station (V/ooster) show that nitrogen fertilizers affect 

 fruit color, size and, to some extent, the quality of fruit, ■■icrking 

 vdth 26-year old Stayr.ian V/inesap and Baldwin trees, ammoniura nitrate was 

 applied to each of six trees at rates ranging from 1 l/2 to 6 pounds per 

 tree. Samples of fruit taken at harvest time showed best color vihero 

 the smallest amount of nitrogen was applied although the color was still 

 satisfactory where somewhat more was used. Fruit size increased v/ith 

 increasing nitrogen up to the U l/2 pound treatment while- fruit q;ic.lity 

 was best at the 3-pound nitrogen li.vel for both varieties. On the 

 basis of these tests, it appears that a so-called normal application of 

 nitrogen fertilizers results in high quality and larg.. size without 

 sacrificing either fruit color or i^.rLeld. 



■;;■ -M- •;<■ i!- * -ss- -it ^<- a- a^ -is- ^r ■«■*•>!• ^^ -it -is- 



