It is obvious that many members have small acreages since the 

 orchard holding per member averages about 8 acres. (The British 

 Columbia Fruit Growers' Association classifies growers with more 

 than 1 acre as being commercial. The opinion was expressed that 

 25-30 acres were necessary to support a family.) 



According to Swales, 951 of the 30,000 acres in tree fruit 

 are planted in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys with approx- 

 imately 70'o of this acreage in apples. Apple growers produced 

 10.6 million bushels in 1980 and the 1981 crop also will exceed 

 10 million bushels. The leading apple varieties are Delicious 

 (501), Mcintosh (25%) and Spartan (10%). 



Approximately 2000 acreage of peaches are grown in Okanagan 

 and Similkameen Valleys. Varieties grown include Redhaven, Triogem, 

 T.H. Hale, Valient, Fortuna A., Veteran and Vedette. 



Apple Orchards 



MM106 and MMlll rootstocks are not recommended in BC because 

 of collar rot. Whereas, M4 , which is more vigorous than M7a, M2 

 and M26 are currently the most popular size- controlling rootstocks. 

 Trees are being planted at 250 trees or more per acre even when 

 on vigorous- size controlling rootstocks. 



Many of the spur-type strains of Mcintosh originated in BC. 

 A discussion by Ted Swales of these strains can be found in the 

 Proceedings of the Massachusetts Fruit Growers' Association, Volume 

 87, pages 90-98, 1981. 



As in Massachusetts, BC growers have encountered trees with 

 standard- type growth habit in plantings of Macspur and the varia- 

 bility is between trees rather than within a tree. The problem 

 also occurs in plantings of Morspur Mcintosh and whether it will 

 occur in the recently introduced Starkspur Ultra Mac (Dewar strain) , 

 remains to be determined. The Dewar strain, a whole tree mutation 

 of Summerland Red, was discovered in the Dewar orchard in Oyama, 

 BC and the propagating rights were purchased by Stark Brothers Nur- 

 series in 1977. 



Trees on Antonvoka rootstock were seen in one orchard. (There 

 is considerable nursery interest in this rootstock because of its 

 winter hardiness.) The Antonvoka rootstock in this planting and 

 at our Horticultural Research Center in Belchertown is producing 

 numerous root suckers. At the Horticultural Research Center, 

 Antonvoka is being used as the understock on interstem trees. 



Peach Orchards 



Most striking in orchards visited were high tree vigor and the 

 absence of Fusicoccum and/or Valsa Canker. Perhaps the absence of 

 the devitalizing effects of these cankers helps explain the good 

 tree vigor and ivhy even older blocks had no missing trees. 



