SELECTION OF SITE 3 



lakes are common have locations which are particularly favorable 

 for apple-growing, as far as climate is concerned. 



Frosts. Closely allied to climate are the very destructive spring 

 frosts. There is scarcely a locality in the northeastern states where 

 apple trees, especially the blossoms, are immune from injury from 

 spring frosts. It has been clearly demonstrated, however, that 

 close proximity to a body of water has a tendency to minimize the 

 frequency of spring frost. Careful notes upon condition during 

 frosty periods in the spring have been taken upon orchards near 

 lakes and rivers and also upon orchards at some distance from a 

 body of water. Comparison of these has shown that the injury is less 

 frequent where the influence of the water is felt. A good example 

 of this is Ithaca, New York, situated upon the shores of Cayuga 

 Lake, where killing frost has only occurred four times during a 

 period of thirty-two years, while at Cortland, twenty miles inland 

 from Ithaca, there have been six killing frosts in eighteen years. 



Nevertheless, even these seemingly frost-protected belts are 

 not entirely free from injury. The Delaware peach crop is 

 produced on land which lies between the Atlantic Ocean and 

 Chesapeake Bay. Still it has been destroyed or badly injured some 

 years by late spring frosts. 



Considering the influence that is exerted in protecting fruit on 

 land situated near large bodies of water, it is found that the most 

 important effects are : 



1. That the air being cooler during the day, the rapidity of 

 growth of the blossoms is retarded. 



2. That as the night air is but slightly cooler than the day air, 

 the change, or range, of temperature is but little. Thus the injury 

 from frosts is prevented. 



Even when at some distance, a large lake, such as are the Great 

 Lakes, is often sufficient to make apple-growing quite profitable 

 over a large amount of land. This is particularly noticeable in 

 the influence which Lake Ontario exerts upon a large part of the 

 western and northwestern sections of the state of New York. 

 This particular section is further aided by its innumerable smaller 

 lakes, which in many cases are sufficient to make the farm orchard 

 more profitable, especially if the orchards are located so as to 

 obtain the full influence of this smaller body of water. 



