Importance and History of the Apple Industry 17 



fall as low as the cost of production. However, unless 

 there is a decided tendency towards new planting, it seems 

 improbable that these years will be successive or very fre- 

 quent. There Should always be a margin of safety and 

 these lean years should be considered by prospective apple- 

 growers. 



2. Poor outlook for unfavored region. 



One of the principal factors in lowering cost of produc- 

 tion is increased yields. In other words, high yielding sec- 

 tions have a distinct advantage and sometimes increased 

 cost of production actually reacts in their favor by elim- 

 inating less favored regions, and thereby limiting competi- 

 tion. The great increase in the cost of labor and material 

 has made it necessary to receive a price for fruit consider- 

 ably in advance of that required formerly to pay the costs 

 and leave a profit. Many sections can overcome these in- 

 creased costs by increasing yields and better management. 

 Less favored districts in so-called marginal regions will be 

 the first to suffer. The grower who has good yields and 

 manages well will ordinarily be successful. 



3. Danger 'from boom development. 



During a period of high prices for fruit, there will al- 

 ways be danger of land-selling booms. Promoters will buy 

 up large tracts of land, set them to trees and then en- 

 deavor to unload on unsuspecting city men and farmers 

 not familiar with fruit-growing. Needless to say, the 

 growth of the industry by such methods is unhealthy and 

 honest and intelligent growers and horticulturists should 

 combat such efforts with merciless publicity. This is not 



