344 The Commercial Apple Industry 



Taking one year with another most of the middle western 

 orchards will not average over 50 barrels to the acre. 

 Michigan orchards bear about as well as those in western 

 New York, while the Hudson Valley and New England 

 trees average somewhat less in annual production. Yields 

 in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Shenandoah region 

 compare favorably with those of western New York, while 

 yields in the Piedmont of Virginia will average lighter, 

 due to the greater prevalence of unfavorable weather con- 

 ditions at blooming time and also to the fact that most 

 of the orchards are mountainous and cultivation is seldom 

 practiced. 



One point to be remembered in comparing northwestern 

 yields with those of eastern orchards is that practically all 

 yield records of the Northwest were taken on trees from 

 eight to fifteen years old, while in the East yield records 

 were from trees from twenty to forty years old. On the 

 other hand, there are about twice as many trees to the 

 acre in the Northwest as in western New York and in most 

 all other eastern regions with the exception of Delaware, 

 the Ohio Valley, the Piedmont district of Virginia and 

 Carolina and a few other limited regions where the trees 

 are either of early varieties or have not as yet attained 

 great size. Yields given for the Northwest, although for 

 comparatively young trees, are very nearly a maximum for 

 that region. As trees become older, some will necessarily 

 be pulled out on account of close planting. Furthermore, 

 under northwestern conditions trees attain full bearing at 

 about ten or twelve years. 



The possibilities of any section may be determined by 

 searching out the most successful growers and securing a 



