212 FRUIT HARVESTING, STORING, MARKETING 



may have been taken up from fruit. This rapid circulation 

 of the air is very important, and the ice, instead of making 

 the fruit damp, as might at first be thought, really serves to 

 dry it very effectually." 



VIII. THE APPLE CROP AND MARKET 



The following notes on the apple crop and market 

 are taken from the American Agriculturist Year 

 Book, 1898, p. 500. 



' ' Probably in no branch of agriculture have greater ad- 



— 1— p.*,. 



HUM. 



■ «.B*K. _ 



T 



FIG. 61 — APPLE DISTRICTS OF THE UNITED STATES 



vances been made than in fruit growing. Comparing the old 

 days when ' book farmin' ' was indifferently regarded, with 

 to-day's progressive study of soil characteristics, fertilization, 

 cultivation, and the use of insecticides and fungicides, marked 

 changes have taken place. And nowhere more pronounced 

 than in apple growing. The successful orchardist who raises 

 apples for profit has long since left the ranks of those who 

 pay little or no attention to the needed requisites indicated. 

 On the other hand, he makes it a thorough business from the 

 planting or grafting of the trees to the harvesting and mar- 

 keting of the fruit. 



"While what is known as the commercial apple belt, pro- 

 ducing the surplus crop for winter markets, has long been 



