6 



HARVESTING, STORING, AND MARKETING 



should be light, strong, and well balanced. A flaring base 

 increases its stability. A ladder which is wide at the bottom 

 and tapers gradually to a point at the top is popular in many 

 sections. It can be shoved between the branches and into 

 small openings without disturbing the fruit and is raised 

 easily by one man. In other sections the open top pattern 



Commercial apples: U.S. production by regions j.919-39 



BUSHELS I 



• AUGUST t FORECAST 



{V. S. D. A.) 



Fig. 1. About 60 percent of the total apple crop is commercial apples, 

 and the commercial crop is only slightly lower than it was 10 years ago. 

 Of the commercial crop, the Atlantic Coast States produce about 45 

 percent, the Western States about 35 per cent, and the Central States 

 about 20 percent. Commercial production fluctuates less in the Western 

 States than in the Central and Atlantic Coast States; 



is preferred. Either type may be desirable or undesirable, 

 depending upon the man who handles it. 



Ladders of uniform type and length are best in orchards of 

 a given age. Many growers have adopted a 22-foot ladder for 

 bearing orchards; ladders of greater length are difficult for 

 one man to handle. Use as short a ladder as possible^ keeping 

 in mind that pickers cannot work on a ladder in a position too 

 nearly vertical and that frequent reaching above the head 



