the acreage less than 10 years old. Vermont, on the 

 other hand, has 39% of its acreage less than 10 years 

 old. Based on the intent of growers, as expressed in the 

 survey, it is estimated that 16% of the acreage will be 

 replanted in the next 5 years. 



The primary intent of the survey was to determine 

 cultivar trends. Figure 5 presents the top 10 cultivars 

 in 1989 for each state. Also included are data for 1970 

 and 1976. A projection for 1994 is given, assuming that 

 70% of the trees removed will be Mcintosh, 15% will be 

 Delicious, 5% will be Cortland, and the remaining 10% 

 will be small amounts of various other cultivars. 



Mcintosh alone accounts for about 58% of the 

 acreage in New England and will continue to be the 

 primary cultivar; however, it is likely that the acreage 

 of Mcintosh will dechne in the next 5 years. Other 

 important trends in these data are the dramatic decline 

 of Delicious that has occurred and will continue to 

 occur, and the increases of Cortland, Macoun, Empire, 

 and Paulared. 



Since a relatively small portion of the total acreage 

 is planted each year, the data presented in Figure 5 do 

 not give an accurate estimate of trends. Figure 6 gives 

 the planting which occurred during the last two 5-year 

 periods and is projected to occur during the next 5-year 

 period. It is clear that in all but Connecticut the per- 

 centage of trees planted which are Mcintosh will de- 

 cline over the next 5 years. Delicious has declined 

 dramatically as a percent of the total planting and will 

 continue to decline. Liberty, Jonagold, Redfree, and 

 Gala planting will increase substantially in the next 5 

 years. The disease-resistant cultivars alone will ac- 

 count for 10% of the planting during this time. 



The percentages of the acreage planted to trees on 



various rootstocks are presented in Figure 7. In 1970 

 approximately 90% of all of the trees in New England 

 were on seedling rootstocks. Now only 42% are on 

 seedling roots, with M.7, MM. 106, and MM.lll ac- 

 counting for 47% of the acreage. The 1994 levels were 

 projected eissuming that 90, 2, 3, 4, and 1% of the trees 

 removed in the next 5 years will be on seedling, 

 MM.lll, MM.106, M.7, and interstems, respectively. 

 The amount of the acreage devoted to trees on seedling 

 rootstocks will continue to decline, and the full dwarf- 

 ing rootstocks (M.26, M.9, Mark, etc.) will account for 

 significant portions of the acreage by 1994. 



As with cultivars, overall levels do not give an 

 accurate picture of trends, since only small portions of 

 the acreage are replanted each year. Figure 8 shows 

 the planting which has occurred over the last two 5- 

 year periods and will occur over the next 5-year period. 

 Since 1980, most trees have been on M.7, MM. 106, and 

 MM.lll, accounting for 82% of the total. However, a 

 dramatic change will occur during the next 5 years, 

 with dwarfing rootstocks accounting for 62% of the 

 planting. Mark and M.26 will account for 28 and 22% 

 of the total, respectively. 



The New England apple industry is experiencing a 

 great deal of change. The decline in Mcintosh and 

 increase in other cultivars is certainly related to the 

 loss of Alar^". An increase in the planting of disease- 

 resistant cultivars is likely related to the broader con- 

 cern about pesticides. The increased use of dwarfing 

 rootstocks is somewhat due to the loss of Alar, but also 

 may be related to an increasing interest in a smaller 

 tree vdth the potential for higher profitability. It is 

 clear that the New England apple industry is bracing 

 for the future vnth these important and necessary 

 changes. 



•!• »Sm •!» tS* •S* 

 *{* 0f» r^ »f» rg» 



Fruit Notes Founder Dies 



Wilbur H. Thies, Professor Emeritus, University 

 of Massachusetts, died July 29, 1989. He was born in 

 Leland, Michigan, October 24, 1892. He graduated 

 with a B.S. degree in 1919 and a M.S. degree in 1925 

 from Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan 

 State University). In 1924 he joined the Horticulture 

 Department at Massachusetts Agricultural College 



(now University of Massachusetts) as Extension Hor- 

 ticulturalist. In July, 1935 he founded Fruit Notes and 

 continued to write for and edit it until his retirement 

 from the University on February 1, 1955. Memorial 

 services were held September 30, 1989 at the North 

 Congregational Church of Amherst, Memorial gifts 

 may be made to one's favorite charity. 



Fruit Notes, Fall, 1989 



17 



