Pip Fruits: Apples 61 



The Apple trees in this case, represented in the diagram by the letter A, 

 are grown as bushes at 10 ft. apart every way, making about 435 to the 

 acre. Between them one Gooseberry bush (White Lion), represented by 

 the letter G, is planted, giving also 435 plants to the acre. In between 

 the rows catch crops of such vegetables as Cabbage, Lettuce, Spinach, 

 Leeks, Potatoes, &c., are taken in the rows running north and south. 



Apples grown in this way, when properly pruned and cared for, bear 

 from 20 to 60 Ib. of fruit in their sixth and seventh years. It might 

 therefore be assumed that when ten years of age there would be an 

 average of 1 bus. of fruit (40 Ib.) on each tree every year, making a 

 total of 435 bus. (or 17,400 Ib.) of good fruit. At 3s. per bushel this 

 represents a gross revenue of 65, 5s. per acre for the Apples alone. 



To this must be added the Gooseberries. It may be assumed that 

 half a sieve or | bus. would be a fair crop for a well-established bush. 

 Reckoning 30 Ib. to the half-sieve, the yield of gooseberries would be 

 12,050 Ib., something over 5 tons to the acre. At an average price of 

 Is. 6d. per half-sieve, the gooseberry crop would realize 32, 12s. Qd. 

 The Apples and Gooseberries therefore together yield a gross return of 

 97, 17s. 6d. The vegetable catch crops, in the first few years at any 

 rate, would realize sufficient to pay the expenses of labour, and this latter 

 item might be put down roughly at 20 per acre per annum. 



If Red Currants were grown instead of Gooseberries, the average crop 

 from established plants might be reckoned at 3 tons to the acre, and as 

 these are usually worth 10 to 12 or more per ton, the receipts would be 

 somewhat higher. 



Black Currants would be a still more valuable crop, assuming that they 

 were fairly free from attacks of "big bud" (see p. 157); 435 bushes to the 

 acre should yield, say, 3 tons of fruit, which, at 20 a ton, would be about 

 twice as lucrative as the Red Currants. 



,A 



Fig. 331. Standard Apples 18 ft. apart, with under crop of Rhubarb 134 Apple Trees and 5000 Khubarb 



Plants to one acre 



Standard Apples and Rhubarb. The next diagram (fig. 331) represents 

 a market garden in which Standard Apples and Rhubarb constitute the only 

 crops. The Apple trees are planted 18 ft. apart every way, thus giving 



