120 The Commercial Apple Industry 



considered, nor the social proximity to towns and cities. 

 Furthermore, possible injury to fruit subjected to exces- 

 sively long hauls over rough roads is not an unimportant 

 feature. 



In considering long hauls to shipping stations, it is 

 interesting to note that in the Piedmont section of Virginia 

 not infrequently a load of Albemarle Pippins may be 

 hauled thirty miles over rough mountain roads. In the 

 mountains of Xorth Carolina and Georgia one may see a 

 mountain schooner laden with apples en route to a town 

 some seventy-five miles distant. The latter somewhat 

 commonplace occurrence is usually in complete disregard 

 of any existing railroad facilities. In many of these more 

 remote regions oxen furnish the motive power. In such 

 regions a three- or four-day trip to town with a load of 

 apples takes more the form of an outing and cost produc- 

 tion is irrelevant. 



Unfortunately, long hauls and poor roads commonly 

 go together. As roads improve and automobile trucks 

 come into more common use, distances to stations will as- 

 sume less importance. At present the prospective investor 

 should consider it highly desirable to have less than a 

 six-mile haul. 



Bearing age of trees. 



In considering the purchase of a very young orchard, 

 one should not be misled by exaggerated accounts of early 

 bearing. The age at which trees come into full bearing is 

 somewhat variable, depending on the variety and the 

 region. Statements regarding the large annual yields 

 which may be expected from five- and six-year-old trees 

 are largely untrue. Occasionally trees of this age bear 



