64 INTENSIVE FARMING 



that Americans eat with their eyes, and so far 

 as the dessert fruits are concerned this is true. 

 The largest strawberry and the reddest apple, 

 regardless of quality or variety, sell most 

 readily. These peculiarities of the market 

 must not be overlooked by the producer. They 

 are important commercial factors. 



The age at which apples come into bearing 

 varies greatly in different parts of the United 

 States. In some of the regions where the in- 

 dustry is rapidly developing the trees come into 

 bearing at from four to six years of age. 

 Under these conditions it is possible for one to 

 realize more quickly upon his investment than 

 in regions where it is necessary to wait eight or 

 even twelve years before the trees yield a crop. 

 It is safe to predict that in those sections where 

 the environmental conditions are such as to 

 force a plant into fruit early the span of life 

 of the plant will be correspondingly shortened. 

 In fact, as a rule those sections which produce 

 such early returns produce only a moderate an- 

 nual growth of wood, but an abundance of fruit 

 buds considering the size and age of the plants. 



Cultivation. The use of modern implements 

 which have been designed for orchard cultiva- 

 tion makes it possible to maintain clean culture 

 under low-headed trees by the use of horse- 



