Table 1 indicates that total apple production has remained fairly 

 stable during the last 40 years while the number of trees has dropped 

 sharply. This has resulted in an increase in yield from 1.2 bushels per 

 bearing-age tree in 1910 to 5.9 bushels in 1959. Table 1 also indicates 

 very drastic increases in yield per bearing age tree during the past 10 

 year period. This is due to two major factors: (1) Changes in the 

 census definitions of farms have eliminated most small backyard or- 

 chards. ^ They were not included in the reports. (2) Increasing pres- 

 sures on land as mentioned above have forced either abandonment or 

 replacement of unproductive trees. 



Table 1. Number of Bearing and Non-Bearing Apples and Yield 

 per Bearing Age Tree in the United States 



Source: U. S., Bureau of Census, United States Census of Agriculture: 1950. Vol. II, 

 680. 



U. S., Bureau of Census, United States Census of Agriculture: 1959. Preliminary, 16. 



* Refers to crop of the calendar year previous to year of enumeration. 

 t Not available. 



Specialization 



In 1930 (data not available for 1920) fruit growing was not the 

 specialized business it has since become. Many general-type farms had 

 a few acres of fruit trees; many farms classified as fruit farms were 

 engaged in additional enterprises. In 1930, 5.6 percent of the income to 

 fruit farms came from the sale of livestock and livestock products; in 

 1950 (data not available for 1960) this source accounted for only 3.3 

 percent. 



Table 2 shows the change in percentage of total gross income for 

 various type farms that was accounted for by the major enterprise or 

 enterprises. As specialized dairy, poultry, and vegetable growers re- 

 moved their few apple trees and as apple growers dropped supplementa- 

 ry enterprises, an increase in productivity over the nation could logical- 

 ly be expected. The trend to concentrating each farm's production 



1 "Farms" must now have at least 20 trees and if less than 10 acres must have at 

 least S250 gross annual sales. If more than 10 acres in size must have at least $50 

 gross sales. 



