ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL, HORTICULTURE 



the low altitudes where the cotton plant have a struggle for life from season to 



is at home the apple tree is generally season. On loamy or clayey soils they feel 



most uncomfortable. Except with the more comfortable, show a correspondingly 



early or summer varieties, it is hard in increa.sed growth and productiveness, are 



such locations to keep apple trees in life. freer from disease and are longer-lived. 



After resisting conditions unsuited to Observations on apple growing through- 



them they have little power left for fruit out the whole of this country show that 



production. In the warm, sandy soils the trees require for their best growth 



where sweet potatoes grow large and productiveness and longevity the follow- 



sweet, apple trees lose their leaves and ing conditions: 



1. Zone ^Temperate. 



2. Climate _Sunimer cool, winter cold. 



3. Soil Jtich loams and clays. 



4. Altitude Jligh. 



5. Rainfall .Copious and constant. 



6. Drainage Good. 



7. Sunlight .Abundant (air clear and cloudless). 



8. Food Constant supply of humus and plant food. 



In America the regions that produce elevated regions for the commercial grow- 

 ths most and best apples are those that ing of hardy fruits. At present all along 

 afford the largest number of these condi- the eastern slopes and foothills of the 

 tions. Alleghany mountains, in Pennsylvania, in 

 Mountain Beg:ions for Apple fnltnre Maryland, in Virginia, in West Virginia 

 * * * The "Sunny South," particu- and in North Carolina, lands which were 

 larly in its mountain regions, has the formerly considered almost worthless for 

 clear air and abundant sunlight that put agricultural purposes are now rapidly 

 the right colors on the outside of the passing the mark of $100 per acre for 

 fruit and the fine flavors within. Other commercial orcharding, 

 things being equal, the greater the W. N. Hutt. Raleigh. N. C. 

 amount of sunlight the higher colored 



the fruit. In regions where cloudy skies THE APPLE INDUSTRY 

 are prevalent fruits and also flowers are In this section the statistics of the 

 of dull colors. Clear, sunny weather apple business are given, and a discus- 

 will give bright flowers and also highly sion of the general conditions of the in- 

 tinted fruits. The maximum hours of dustry, by H. P. Gould of the U. S. 

 sunlight are obtained at high elevations. Department of Agriculture. 



It is for this reason that mountain- tj i *• c t „■„ • *!,„ tt_!*„j 



^ .^ . • „ Production of Apples in the United 



grown fruit is superior in color and fla- „. , 



vor to that of the same varieties grown ^ statement of the general results of 



in the lowlands. The best fruit grown ^helSth census relative to the number of 



in Eastern United States is that produced ^^^^^ reporting apple trees of bearing 



on the slopes of the Blue Ridge and Alle- ^„^ ^„^i j^^^^ ^^^ ^.^^ of bearing age, to- 



ghany mountains. The most lofty por- g^^j^^^ ^.^^ ^j^^ j^^^^^g^ „f j^^gs in each 



tions of these mountain ranges are found ^j^^g ^^ „j ^p^ji ^5 ^gjo ^^^ gj^i^g ^^^ 



in Western North Carolina. Here a rich „u^ber of bushels of apples produced in 



soil, combined with high elevation, af- ^9^9 ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^j ^^^ prop was issued 



fords almost ideal conditions for com- jj^y ^^^ ^^^2, by Director Durand, of the 



mercial apple culture. Very few fruit g^^g^^ „f ^^^^ Census. Department of 



growers in the South appreciate the commerce and Labor. Comparable data 



splendid opportunities afforded for com- ^^^ gj^.^^ f^,^ ^9^0 wherever possible, 

 mercial apple growing in the high, cool, 



but sunny slopes of the Southern Appa- Decrease in Number of Trees of 



lachian region. It is only in the last . Uearing Age 



decade or so that fruit growers generally At the census of 1900, taken as of June 



have become aware of the advantage of 1, there were reported 201.794,000 apple 



