176 



ESTABLISHING THE ORCHARD 



The local market is more responsive. It will accept varieties 

 of high quality, even though they may not be well known^ 

 especially if the grower enjoys a reputation in the community 

 as a skilled and reliable orchardist. This is true also of the 

 roadside and motor truck demand now existing about the 

 large centers of population. 



(6) Consider Market Tendencies. In planting an orchard 

 the grower is embarking upon a long-time enterprise. It is 

 important for him to consider not only what the consuming 

 public wants now, but what it is likely to want when his trees 

 are in bearing. He should take account of any pronounced 

 trends or tendencies that will aid in forecasting market de- 

 mands. See Tables 21, 22 and 23, pages 100, 101, and 103. 



The tendency is undoubtedly tow^ard higher inherent 

 quality. The tremendous and growing popularity of Delicious 

 and Mcintosh apples, for instance, is indicative of this fact. 

 Growers cannot supply higher quality, however, than the 

 public is ready to pay for. Some varieties of high quality 

 would be grown to a greater extent commercially if they 

 were not so expensive to grow by , reason of light or tardy 

 bearing, uneven ripening, high proportion of low-grade fruit; 

 susceptibility to cold, insect injury, or disease; shortness of 

 life, tendency toward bruising, or kindred ailments. The 

 grower must consider all these items in making up his list, but 

 must give quality a higher rating than in years past. Red 

 varieties of apples, as a rule, sell better than green or yellow 

 kinds. 



(c) Consider Variety Characters and Adaptations to 

 Various Regions. The best guide is the experience of the 

 section in which the fruit is to be grown. Latitude is an 

 indication, but variations in elevation may nullify the value 

 of this as a guide. 



The length of season required to bring a variety to maturity 

 seems to be a most important factor in the distribution of apple 

 varieties. 



