The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-04
AMERICAN APPLES GROWN TO
QUEENS TASTE.

Attempting to win the favor of the
ladies by giving them apples may be
laughed at by some people as ludi-
crously rustic. but it is not to be de-
spised. 1t wins. Here Is the proof:
Victoria was young and, though she
was queen. she was also a woman
and impressionable. Arthur Steven
son. who was then American Minister
at the Court OF st. James's. gave her
some very beautiful apples-"Albe-
marie Pippins" they were-from a Viz
ginia orchard. So pleased was the
Queen that she caused the import tax
on apples to be removed. From that
time exports Of apples from the United
States to England increased rapidly.
England became, and has remained,
the principal export market for Ameri-
can apples.
This little story has an unusual in
terest Just now. when. following the
world war, the export markets are not
only to be reopened but possibly may
assume larger Importance than ever
before. Commercial apple growers in
the United States must meet any such
increased demand without increased
acreage. Apple production Dies not
respond quickly to supply and demand.
Trees require several years to come
into full bearing. Little can be done
toward Immediately increasing the
supply when an unusual demand ap-
pears.
Taking the United States as a whole,
there has been very little planting Of
apple trees since 1910. Comparatively
few young trees, therefore, are coming
into bearing at this time. This Is
shown by an investigation OF the COM
mercial apple industry recently made
by the United States Department AZ
Agriculture. Indeed. the largest sim
gle commercial apple producing sec
ton in the United States has reached
Its maximum production and unless
10 to be expected.
That region Is western New York
which early in the SOS became and
has since remained the centre of com
mercial apple production in the United
States. Western New York has pro-
duced regularly about one-fourth OF
the normal commercial apple crop OF
the country. But most OF the present
bearing trees were planted in the late
SOS and early '70s and are now nearly
fifty years old Nigor and productivity
continue longer in western New York
than anywhere else in the country.
perhaps, yet they cannot be main
tanned indefinitely. and the centre Of
production may be expected to shift
Similar declines are taking place in
what il known MS the New England
Baldwin belt, including portions Of
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and
Massachusetts, but as this has never
represented moro than per cent. OF
the total commercial production II is
0 relatively less Importance.
In latter years two comparatively
new commercial apple regions have
come into large productlon-the Pa
cinc Northwest and the Shenandoah.
Cumberland region OF Virginia, West
Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
The former Is producing now almost
as many commercial apples as New
York, and the latter is producing
about half as many. Roughly speak
ing, New York, the Pacific Northwest
and the Shenandoah Cumberland pro-
duce about five-eig hths OF all the com
mercial apples grown in the United
States. The Shenandoah Cumberland
region Is yet only approaching its
maximum production. In the North
west there was considerable planting
OF unsuitable lands. but Western pro-
duction is being stabilized and will
continue to DO an increasingly i'm
portant factor in the apple industry.