56 The Commercial Apple Industry 



Orchards in the Ozark region vary from a few acres to 

 over 100 in size, many of them being from 30 to 100 

 acres in extent. Large orchards discourage intensive cul- 

 tural methods and yields tend to be low and biennial as 

 trees grow older. In some localities there is a progres- 

 sive element in the farming population, evidenced by 

 greater attention given to orchard management. Despite 

 this revival of interest it is doubtful whether over 35 

 per cent of the trees in the Ozark region are ever sprayed, 

 with a result that not more than 35 per cent of the total 

 acreage can be considered as strictly commercial. 



As stated above, Ben Davis and Gano represent over 65 

 per cent of the Ozark production. Jonathan, Ingram, 

 Maiden Blush, Grimes, York Imperial, Collins and Ar- 

 kansas Black are found in limited plantings, more partic- 

 ularly in younger acreage. 



More than half of the production from this region is 

 shipped in bulk, only the better grades and the higher 

 quality varieties being shipped in barrels. It must be re- 

 membered, however, that the bulk production competes 

 directly with the barreled stock and is frequently not in- 

 ferior in quality. 



MISSOURI RIVER REGION ( PLATE III) 



Important commercial apple plantings of Iowa, 

 Nebraska, Kansas and northern Missouri are at the in- 

 tersection of these four states, in what is known as the 

 Loess Apple Belt, along the Missouri River in north- 

 western Missouri, southwestern Iowa, southeastern 

 Nebraska, and northeastern Kansas. This section has 

 been placed in a district by itself, since the important 



