The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1929-07-25
Apple Trees Are
Cut by Millions
Survey Shows Concentration
in Favorable Sections
of Country
tfrepared BY the United states Department

prepared by the United states Department
OF Agrieulturel
In twelve of the last fifteen years
the average farm price of apples has
been below the general preWar whole
sale price level of all commodities. AS
the result, millions of apple trees have
been removed and others have been
neglected. From 1910 to 1928 the nun
Der of apple trees in the United States
decreased nearly 40 per cent. Notwith,
standing the decline in the number of
apple trees, production of apples has
been practically maintained. These
are some of the Important facts noted
by the United States Department of
Agriculture in an analysis ef the pros.
poets of the apple industry. Recent
changes and present tendencies. the
department indicates. promise a bet.
ter approach to stability in the indus.
try, but with the number of trees now
planted, commercial production is ex-
peeted to continue at a high level for
several years.
Production Increased
Though total apple production has
declined slightly since 1917, CONNER.
cial production has steadily increased
Moreover, carlot shipments have in.
creased at an average of 4,600 carloads
year since 1918, and movements by
motor truck have grown considerably.
Increased production per tree has
largely offset the decline in the mum.
Der of trees. The department expects
further increases in commercial apple
production during the next few years,
accompanied of course by an increase
in the domestic demand resulting frGm
population growth. The rate of in
crease. according to the department.
will be less than ii was during the
last ten years. The future appears
somewhat brighter for the real com
mercial grower who is favoraby locat
ed and who produces apples of high
quality at low cost. Conditions in the
industry are changing so rapidly, how.
ever. that success for the individual
grower requires attention to condi.
tons throughout the country, as well
as to the technical problems of his
own orchard. Apple production is a
business in which long views are
necessary. The orchard planted today
will not return revenue for seven
or ten years. When it starts producing
however, it may be a source of income
for 80, 80 or 60 years. In the past
this fact seems not to have been suf-
feiently borne in mind, and overplant-
ing has resulted.
In a survey, started by the depart
ment, information has been obtained
on the humber of trees of different
varieties and ages in the country as
a whole and in different apple pro-
ducing sections. Some of the outstand-
ing facts revealed are announced by
NJ. R. Cooper, senior economist in the
bureau of agricultural economics.
Future of Industry.
SO that the future of the apple in
dustry may be regionally considered,
Mr.. Cooper grouped % important APP
pie states in six divisions, largely ac-
cording to location, but partly accord
ing to tile number of varieties grown.
These % states have about IA pei
cent of all the apple trees of bearing
age in the country. They produce about
81 per cent of the annual apple output.
In the western group of apple states
1.-THE Pacific coast and mountain states)
apple production has increased enor-
mously in the last fifteen years. These
states from 1909 to 1913 produced an
nually about 100000 bushels. Their
average annual production in the years
1924 to 1923 was more than $4,000
900 bushels. In recent years apple pro-
duction in the western states has been
fairly well stabilized, though many
of the trees there have not reached
their full bearing capacity. 1t seems
certain that heavy increases in pro-
duction in this region will not recur
in the immediate future.