342 The Commercial Apple Industry 



crop. Michigan, New York and New England have 

 shown an average crop condition of about 5 to JO per 

 cent higher than the Central West, while the crop condi- 

 tion in the Virginias has averaged 10 per cent higher 

 than that of New York. New Jersey and Delaware usu- 

 ally end the season with a condition of about 60 per cent, 

 or 125 per cent less than the Northwest. Thus it is seen 

 that the chances for a good crop are the greatest in the Far 

 West and are next in the middle Atlantic states, third in 

 New York and the northern states, and poorest in the 

 Central West. The low average crop condition in the 

 Central West is largely due to the damp and unfavorable 

 weather which often occurs during blooming time to pre- 

 vent pollination and a good set of fruit. 



The following table refers to western New York condi- 

 tions and shows the average yield on about fifty commer- 

 cial orchards in each county over a series of five to eight 

 years. Considerable care was taken in obtaining these 

 figures in order that they might accurately represent the 

 average performance of full bearing commercial orchards 

 in western New York. The table does not include yields 

 from unsprayed or neglected plantings, but represents the 

 production of those orchards which are being cared for. 

 It will be noted that Wayne County shows a larger per- 

 centage of cull fruit than any other. This is largely due 

 to the fact that Wayne County is the center of the dried 

 apple industry and much of its fruit which would ordi- 

 narily be barreled in other counties is used for drying 

 purposes. The portion of the crop used for by-products 

 varies considerably from year to year. » 



