World Apple and Pear Production , The total 1953 apple crop through- 

 out the ;rorld amounts to about 560,013,000 bushels. About 

 lil7',000,000 bushels are used for cider. The reported total for cider 

 in France, alone, is lliO, 000,000 bushels and in Austrig, Ij, 000,000 

 bushels. The total United States crop, 99,611,000 busfeels (Septem- 

 ber estimate), makes up about 17^^ of the v^orld crop. Of the total 

 pear crop throughout the world, 160,338,000 bu*iels, about 26,000,000 

 bu^els are used for cider, 20,000,000 in France and 6,000,000 in 

 Austria, The total United States crop, 30,37itjOOO bushels, is about 

 19^ of the vrorld crop. 



Orchard Reorganization in Virginia, In 1937 there were 14^155^000 apple trees 

 in Virginia orchards. In 19k9 there were 2,766,000 and in 1952 there vrere 

 25389^000, These figures are presented in a publication from the Virginia 

 Department of Agriculture, "Bulldozers at Work in Virginia Orchards", Be- 

 tween I9U9 and 1952, growers pulled or abandoned 18,2^ of all commercial 

 apple trees and replanted only i4,6/?» The peach tree picture is similar. In 

 ^k9 - l,ll6,OOOj<52. - 938,000, The switch t oward redder strains and varie- 

 ties in Virginia' is very noticable . There has been a 30/^ increase in recent 

 years in red strains of Rome Beauty and a 33"^ decrease in Albemarle Pippin, 

 a favorite of Queen Victoria, 



-;;- if- -x<- -;;- ii- -;i- * ^(- ■«• -n- ■«• ■?!• ■«■ 



CAN YOU AFFORD TO LIME YOUR ORCHARD ? 



Now that lime is no longer included in the Soil Conservation program, many 

 fruit growers may vronder whether or not they can afford to buy lime for their or- 

 chards • 



Before attempting to answer the question let us consider a few fundamental 

 facts. Without frequent applications of high magnesium lime our orchard soils be- 

 come increasingly more acid. This increase in acidity is due to several factors, 

 the principal one being the repeated applications of sulfur necessary to control 

 apple diseases. An orchard which receives 500 pounds of sulfur per acre per year 

 v;ill need 150O pounds of lime to neutralize the acidifying effect of the sulfur. 



Our soils are naturally very low in magnesium and as they become progregaye- 

 ly more acid what little magnesium becaaes available is more readily leached from 

 the soil. By applying high magnesium lime to the soil we not only correct the 

 acidity which is partly responsible for magnesium deficiency but we add magnesium 

 and calcium which are necessary for plant groAvth, The magnesium which is added to 

 the soil by the lime is rather slow in its correction of magnesium deficiency. It 

 takes from 3 to 5 years before high magnesium lime can correct serious cases of 

 magnesium deficiency. In the meantime growers must apply magnesium to the leaves 

 by applying 3 sprays of epscm salts at the rate of 20 pounds per 100 gallons, 



A final word on high magnesium lime - it is the cheapest source of magnesium 

 available, Ti'/elve dollars and twenty cents (.$12,20) spent for high magnesium lime 

 will purchase as much magnesium as ninety three dollars and fifty cents ($93.50) 

 spent for epsom salts. In other words, when you buy high magnesium lime, you get a 

 bonus of $93 •So in magnesium. 



The answer to the question, "Can you afford to lime your orchard?" is, "You 

 can't afford not to," 



^liif.D. Weeks 



