SECTION VII 

 GEOGRAPHIC INFLUENCES IN FRUIT PRODUCTION 



Perseverance has not only developed fruits with qualities superior 

 to those of the wild; it has extended their growth into regions to which 

 they are not native. The two most important orchard fruits of the 

 United States are not indigenous. Social and economic conditions have 

 played no unimportant parts in developing fruit growing or in preventing 

 its development. Transportation facilities or neighboring markets are 

 of utmost importance. Necessary as these all are, however, they can 

 not estabhsh a fruit growing industry unless its development is possible 

 under the complex of natural influences which are grouped conveniently 

 under the term geographic. Though complete analysis of this complex 

 is impossible, since one factor's influence may be modified by that of 

 another factor, some general statements can be made with safety. 



A knowledge of the conditions which favor, interfere with or prevent 

 fruit growing at various points may be of considerable value for local 

 application, since it may suggest the capitalization of certain features of 

 the local climate through the growing of fruits best suited to those condi- 

 tions or it may indicate certain departures of the local climate from the 

 best conditions for a given fruit, necessitating particular care in some 

 phase of management. Furthermore, it may suggest to the plant breeder 

 definite aims in improvement to secure adaptation or possibly it may 

 indicate sources of material with which he can work most profitably. 

 Plant improvement for one section may be quite different from the 

 amelioration necessary in the same fruit for another. 



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