24 BULLETIN 716, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



occupied a definite blocked-out area. These fruits were used almost 

 exclusively in the homes; the sales from them averaged but $4 an- 

 nually per farm. 



The land used for growing apples ranged from that occupied by a 

 few scattered trees to 6 acres per farm. The apple orchards on one- 

 half of the farms did not exceed 2 acres in size, and but 4 of the 25 

 farms had orchards of more than 4 acres. 



Growing apples for commercial purposes has -not been very profit- 

 able in this township, although the receipts of a few farms have been 

 somewhat increased from this source. The average yearly sales of 

 apples, including cider and vinegar, was $28 per farm for the 25 

 farms, with only 1 farm exceeding $100. Eight of them sold no 

 apples during the five years. Southeastern Ohio is considered a very 

 good section for apples, and much of the soil in Palmer Township 

 probably is well adapted to apple production. Although the or- 

 chards of the township are fairly well cared for, pruned, sprayed, 

 and in a few instances fertilized, few of them have been profitable. 

 The actual yearly sales from the orchards in the last five years have 

 been $15 per acre. The main reasons for such low returns were : 



Loss from frost. Some of the orchards are located on flat land, 

 where they do not have good air drainage as protection from 

 frost. 



Uncertainty of the crop. But one farm of all those studied had 

 enough apples every year to have some for sale after the liouse- 

 hold need had been supplied. Most of the orchards did not 

 bear more than two or three years in the five. 



The long haul to shipping point. 



Low prices, averaging $1.25 per barrel. 



Some orchards had what are considered poor market varieties. 



Eolne Beauty, Grimes Golden, and Ben Davis are the leading 

 market varieties of winter apples grown in this locality. 



The potato acreage, aside from that of the home garden, was small, 

 totaling 2 acres per year on six farms. For the five-year.period barely 

 enough potatoes were grown for home use. The farmers aimed to 

 plant only enough to meet this requirement. With a good potato 

 year some had a small surplus to sell, but with a poor year, and three 

 of the five years were poor potato years, many of them did not raise 

 enough for their oAvn use. 



On three scattered farms small acreages were sometimes planted 

 to annual crops that were used for pasturage. The total area so used 

 averaged 4 acres per year. Rye was most fretjuontly grown for this 

 purpose, although cowpeas, so}'^ beans, oats, rape, and buckwheat were 

 also reported. A few farms occasional]}'^ grew small acreages of 

 corn, rye, or cowpeas that were fed green, and four farmers grew on 

 an average 1| acres per year of rye, oats, soy beans, or cowpeas that 

 were plowed under or disked in as green manure. 





