130 The Commercial Apple Industry 



Regional developments. 



Closely allied with social conditions as a factor in influ- 

 encing choice of a farm is the question of regional devel- 

 opment. The advantages of a centralized industry where 

 all are interested in a common end need scarcely be 

 enumerated. Within this category will come all the bene- 

 fits resulting from cooperation and community effort. 

 Shipping and storage facilities, sales organizations and 

 availability of skilled labor may be mentioned as largely 

 dependent on the state of regional development. Buyers 

 are attracted to the regions where fruit may be purchased 

 in considerable quantities. The reputation of a region for 

 shipping high class fruit has much to do with the selling 

 price of the individual's crop. Western New York, Shen- 

 andoah and Hood River are names which immediately 

 summon to the buyer's mind a fairly well defined idea 6f 

 the quality and variety of apples grown in each respective 

 region. The difficulties in keeping an orchard free from 

 pests and diseases are greatly increased in a community 

 where neglected orchards abound. Furthermore, if the 

 region has the reputation of shipping rather poor quality 

 fruit, the grower will encounter an inherent prejudice 

 against all fruit from that particular section. 



Soil. 



No other item should receive more careful consideration 

 in choosing a fruit-farm than the question of soil. -"-Soil 

 requirements for the apple vary somewhat with the variety, 

 but practically all authorities agree that a deep, friable, 

 loamy soil with good water drainage, describes briefly the 

 soil condition to which the apple is best adapted. ~j This 



