Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-04-02

Apple culture in Maine is a large, i'm
portant and growing industry. Ac-
cording to the United States Census, as
shown in the above table, the number
of apple trees in the State in 1900 was
4,lS4,7Sl, against 1908, ,109 in 1890, an in
crease Of 1,1S1,612, or 1913 per cent, i'll
ten years. The yield in 1899 was 1,421,-
7i5 bushels, Cr 2 fraction over one-thrd
of a bushel to 4 tree, while the yield
in 1889 was 3.011.411 bushels, or q frac-
ton over one bushel to Il tree, thus
showing the yield in 1889 to be three
times as great per tree as in 1899. The
crop of 1896 and that Of 1902 were both
excessively large, while in some other
years the crop was very measer. The
quantity of fruit produced in any year
is determined largely by the nature of
the season. Consequently comparisons
between the crops of the years men-
toned are OF little significance.
The value of all orchard products IN
the State in 1899, including pears,
peaches, plums and cherries. as well as
the value of all cider and vinegar
manufactured from apples, is given as
SS33,643. Reckoning on the NUMBER or
apple trees, which was 97.9 per cent of
all OTClldTu lIull tItcS, ttiu tuO
allowance for the value of cider and
vinegar, the approximate value OF the
apple crop for that year would be SS0o,-
COO, which would be Il fraction over 90
cents Il bushcl, or an income of 10 cents
per tree. This will strike the average
reader as Il very mcager yield, but by
Il little investigation it will be found
that it is not far below the average of
the country. 1t must be remembered
that 1889 was an off year in Maine,
when the crop WAS only one-fOurth or
one-third that of some other years,
while in several of the states the yield
was from one to two bushels per tree.
Again, while census figures do not
specify the value of the apple crop
separately but give the value of all
orchard products. if we make a calcu-
lation on the total number of all
orchard fruit trees and the value Of all
orchard products, we shall find that in
1929 the valiie of the product per tree
in Maine was 1914 cents, while i'll the
whole country it was 22al cents.
The value of all orchard products in
Maine, as given by the census reports
for other decades, is as follows: 1850.
EG42 800: 1860, $501.761; 1870, $S7l,5G0, or
reduced to Il gold basis, $G99,G1S: 1880,
Sl,112, ops We are unable to find any
value given for the product of 1890.
About 9S per cent of the above figures
represents the value of apples.
The Baldwin apple still maintains its
prominence and seems to grow i'll
favor as the years go by. The
tendency at the present time seems to
be to cultivate fewer varieties than
formerly, and the best and most sue
ceSSful apple growers report not more,
usually, than three or four varieties
and very seldom mention half-dOzen
at most. Besides the Baldwin, the Ben
Davis, Rhode Island Greening, Roxbury
Russet. Golden Russct, King, Northern
Spy, Wealthy. Gravenstein, Stark,
F;lmeuse, Mcintosh Red and Bell
Flower seem to be mentioned most
frequently in the returns sent in to the
Bureau, but each section has it's
favorites and these must be determined
by circumstances of climate, soil and
market.
The Maine PomolOgical Society has
done most noble work in encouraging
and promoting fruit culture in our
State, and it deserves the gratitude of
all who desire to see the success of one
of the most useful and beautiful indus
tries in the world, that of fruit grow
ing. The best fruit exhibit ever made
by this society was displayed at Au-
burn hall. Auburn, at their meeting
held November II, II and IS of the
present year.