12 Annals of Horticulture. 



concerned. At present no definite rearrangement of the past 

 methods has been agreed upon. Owing to the many risks to 

 which the fruit is subject in the cool chambers of the ocean 

 steamers by either having temperature too high or vice versa, 

 and the perishable nature of the apple, the various shipping 

 companies insist upon freight being prepaid, and this, in many 

 instances, is a barrier the producer has found it difficult to sur- 

 mount. Commercial houses of standing have stepped in, and, 

 under guarantee to shipping companies, chartered a given 

 proportion of cool chambers some time in advance of the fruit 

 which they undertake to ship, pay freight and other incidental 

 initial expenses, transmit the various consignments to any 

 sales agent the grower may prefer, and in due course forward 

 the original account sale with proceeds, less shipping charge 

 and initial expenses disbursed. 



''In treating of average yield per acre and profit of fruit- 

 farming, we venture on the solution of a very difficult prob- 

 lem. W E. Shoobridge, of Glenora, who may be considered 

 as the leading orchardist of Tasmania, in reply to our query 

 on this matter, says 'average yield per acre depends greatly 

 on situation, care and cultivation, good orchards yielding an 

 average of lOO to 200 bushels, and in some instances 300 to 

 400 bushels, according to season. ' Dr. Benjafield, on the other 

 hand, in reply, gave the following as the actual result of an 

 orchard of ten acres : '4,600, 3,600, 3,600 bushels for tenth, 

 eleventh and twelfth years respectively, or an average yield of 

 393.3 bushels per acre. Outside yields of 600 to 1,000 bushels 

 per acre have been obtained.' When considering this question 

 and tne profit, it must be borne in mind that the fruit producer 

 has, like his brother, the agriculturist, many troubles to contend 

 with. In the first place, labor is expensive and scarce at time 

 when most wanted, in addition to which there is the contin- 

 gency of excessive spring frosts, high winds and the apple 

 pests, principally the codlin moth and oyster scale. I should 

 also hesitate in giving any definite decision in matter of profit, 

 as this can only be done with any degree of accuracy by taking 

 the average of older established industries than that of fruit 

 culture in Tasmania. 



"In treating of the average prices realized in the various 

 markets, we may class our home and inter-colonial sales under 

 one head. In this, the prices ruling for season just ending 



