SYSTEMS OF CULTURE ORCHARDING APPLES. 775 



12 6s. lOjd. per acre. This is given as an example of how the profits to be derived 

 from fruit-growing are sometimes calculated that is, from the returns, as in this case 

 from a good year, which only occurs, in most instances, every other season; and 

 taking an average, as in the preceding cases, the profit is not more than half = 

 6 3s. 6^d. per acre, under the most favourable circumstances, and the crop is often 

 seriously prejudiced by insect attacks, so that great risks are run by those planting 

 fruit trees and leaving everything to chance. 



From the fifteenth to the thirtieth year the profits accruing from an apple-orchard in 

 grass have been returned at 10 30 a year per acre. These variable amounts are 

 seldom explained, but they may be accounted for by (1) indifferent land or situation, 

 soft-fruited or inferior varieties = 10 ; (2) fairly good land and site, serviceable varieties 

 = 20 ; (3) specially favouring soil and aspect, and choice varieties = 30 per acre. 



The actual produce of 75 trees on an acre of good land in grass is 240 bushels per 

 annum between fifteen and thirty years from planting, and sound-keeping apples average 

 3s. 6d. per bushel = 42 per acre. But the expenditure increases proportionately with 

 the bearin?, being one-third more ^1 5s.) for pruning, sticky banding, and spraying ; 

 similar addition (2 18s. 4d.) being made to the gathering, storing, and packing account 

 annually. Manure must also be applied to sustain the trees in profitable bearing, say, the 

 following mixture early in the spring : Pure dissolved bones (ammonia 2^-3, phosphate 

 30-35 per cent.), 5 cwt., 1 10s. ; kainit (potash 24 26 per cent.), 3 cwt., 6s.; nitrate 

 of soda, 2 cwt., 18s. = 2 14s. Every third year twenty tons of stable or farmyard 

 manure may be required, worth on the ground, 7 10s. ; one-third, 2 10s. ; collectively 

 = 9 7s. 4d. This, added to the prior full expenditure (18 16s.) = 28 5s. 4d. ; and 

 the net profit is 13 14s. 8d. per acre annually. 



Standard apple trees on grass often give much better returns than those furnished in 

 the preceding averages, both before and after thirty years from planting. The yield per 

 acre for full-bearing apple trees is given at six tons for Kent, and the price per ton at 

 10 =00 gross return. The period of best production in the apple as a standard in 

 Kent is stated by Mr. Cecil Hooper to be the fifteenth year, 34/ bushels per tree = 240 

 bushels from 75 trees, and must realise 5s. per bushel to afford a gross return of 60 a 

 year per acre. The best record in the Midlands at that age is 46 13s. 4d. in one year 

 per acre, the purchaser gathering the crop. The trees in question do not attain their 

 best period of production generally until the twenty-fifth year, and under judicious 

 management they will continue to bear profitable crops until the fiftieth year, or longer. 



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