6 The Commercial Apple Industry 



ment between the agricultural and the commercial crop is 

 not surprising. 



Table II shows the average agricultural and commer- 

 cial apple production in the different states for the period 

 1916-1919 inclusive. It will be seen that of an average 

 total production of approximately 56,000,000 barrels, only 

 25,000,000 are commercial. In other words, about 44 

 per cent of the total production during this period reached 

 commercial channels. 



Apples used for by-products are not included in the com- 

 mercial crop. Allowing for this factor, it would still ap- 

 pear that from 40 ^to 45 per cent of our total apple crop 

 is either consumed in the county where grown or goes to 

 wasrte. 



CENTKALIZED PLANTINGS IN FAVOKED EEGTONS 



The centralization of commercial plantings in favored 

 regions has been an interesting process. The most notable 

 feature in the development of the apple industry has been 

 the rapidly increasing commercial crop from western 

 states, particularly Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Cali- 

 fornia and Colorado. Twenty years ago commercial pro- 

 duction in these states, with the exception of California, 

 was practically negligible. To-day over 40 per cent of 

 the commercial apple crop of the United States is grown 

 in the Far West and at no distant date western production 

 may represent one-half of this total. Although far from 

 the centers of population and markets, millions of dollars 

 have been expended in the development of apple orchards 

 in the irrigated valleys of far western states. Heavy 

 yields and fine market quality have combined to over- 

 come the disadvantages of long shipments to market. 



