CONSUMER DEMAND FOR ARPLES 



67 



Chart, II. Population and Commercial Apple Crop of the United States, 1918-1927. 



POPULATION 

 M (VLLIOIM 



MILLION* •» 

 bUtHELS 



1918 



The increasing volume of the commercial crop is due not only to a greater number oi 

 bearing trees, but to better methods of growing. An increasing proportion of our 

 total production is salable. Exports have been deducted. 



the increase in population during tlie decade has been more rapid than 

 that of tlie commercial crop. Thi.s indicates, of course, that per capita 

 consumption in the United States is actually declining-. The trend of this 

 decline is pictured in Chart VI, which shows the average per capita con- 

 sumptioD for tlie ten years 1918 to 1927. 



The influence of Sforafje 



Imjiroved storage facilities have m;ide it possible to have apples on 

 the market throughout the year. Consumption has been steadied and 

 spread out over the twelve months, and even the more delicate varieties 

 are made available to consumers over a much longer period than formerly. 

 The Mcintosh, a few years ago considered a fall aj^ple only, is now put 

 into cold storage and its season thereby lengthened by several months. 

 During the last few seasons, the best prices for Mcintosh have been 

 secured late in tiie season. 



The rate of movement of any product out of storage depends largely 

 upon the demand for it. Chart III shows the rate at which apples moved 

 from storage in Boston in 1925-26, probably a fairly representative sea- 

 son. The movement of both Eastern and Western boxed apples is shown, 

 and indicates that Eastern apples are in more steady demand during the 

 season than are Western apples. As shown by this chart, withdrawals 

 from storage might seem to indicate that the demand for Western apples 

 in the fall is keener than that for Eastern fruit, whereas New England 

 apples are actually in quite steady demand throughout the season. In the 

 fall months this demand is met by supplies of fresh fruit which has been 



