2o6 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



GROWING SMALL FRUITS. 



N regard to the profit of small fruit growing. Where I am located, 

 I have unusual facilities for railroad shipments ; three prominent 

 roads cross the farm, with a station very convenient. I can ship 

 in any direction, morning or evening. I have already known the 

 market to be overstocked with first-class fruit, and I need not 

 refer to special or general prices to show that the business, economically con- 

 ducted, gives a fair return for amount invested and labor bestowed. Under the 

 system pursued, the soil does not deteriorate, as with grain raising. 



Without special care my blackberries have borne their usual crops for fifteen 

 years. Raspberries should be renewed once in eight or ten years. Currants 

 and grapes, it is well known, though needing care every year, stand for many 

 years, and strawberries do best when new beds are planted yearly, and, though 

 a good paying crop when they do well, are not as sure as the other fruits. But, 

 taken together, failure does not as often occur in fruit raising as in grain raising, 

 and I need not mention the results of failure in a grain crop — failure is to well 

 known. But in comparison with the expense of high-priced labor, tools, etc., a 

 diversified work will make the largest and most satisfactory return. 



An itemized account of cost of production, of sales and returns of different 

 products of the farm, is the only way to determine their relative profit. Pro- 

 bably, not one in fifty of average farmers can give any idea of the comparative 

 value of different crops, when the total cost of production is to be included. I 

 will try to illustrate by one example. One of my neighbors, with a farm of 200 

 acres, was impressed with the common opinion that all hand labor is a waste of 

 time on the farm, and seemed to be satisfied with the work only when it was 

 accomplished with the help of a team. He said : '' I don't see how you can 

 make it pay to putter around with strawberries and blackberries." Taking from 

 my pocket a memorandum book and pencil, I said : " Let me 'show you some 

 figures. There are ten acres of corn that yielded 1,000 bushels of ears, equiva- 

 lent to 500 bushels shelled corn ; without itemizing the cost, which most any one 

 can do, the value of the crib is $125." 



" Yes," said he, " that was a fine crop, which I should think would pay you 

 better than all the berries you have, to say nothing of the value of the fodder." 

 I then referred him to the account of a small strawberry bed of fifty-four rods 

 (2-27). The proceeds were 660 boxes, barely a medium yield. The cost of the 

 corn (as the labor was all hired) without counting interest on the value of land 

 or taxes was i6c per bushel, $80 ; net, $45. The itemized cost of the berries 

 ready for market was $26 ; net, $40. As for the character of the labor, one 

 must choose for himself I prefer to diversify the work. — Minneapolis Journal. 



Canada Red, Errata. — On page 162, for "three years," read thirty-three 

 years ; and for " Hudson, Ont.," read Hudson, Que. 



