How many fruit should my apple tree bear each year?

Apple trees often set more fruit then they can adequately support. When a tree has too many fruit, the fruit tend to be small, poorly colored, and may have low sugar levels. Limb breakage may also result from over-cropping. In general, large trees can support more fruit then small trees, therefore the ideal number of fruit per tree varies with tree size. The number of fruit per tree can be based on the circumference of the trunk. To determine trunk circumference, place a tape measure around the trunk 6 inches above ground and use the following table to determine the number of fruit that the tree should be allowed to carry.