Sl'STEMS OF CULTURE -ORCHARDING CIJ-F-knif-S: \. ::. '':'; '..-'--277 



must be uone carefully and judiciously, preferably in October, with a view to securing 

 well-furnished, evenly-balanced heads, and this without the branches being loo close or 

 crossing each other. After the trees are shaped, pruning must be confined to removing 

 cross-growths and irregularities, little being required after the first few years. 



About the seventh year from planting the trees will produce fruit ranging in value 

 from 2s. to 5s. per tree up to the tenth year = 4 16s. 12 ; average 8 8s. a year per 

 acre. From this, the commencement of remunerative return, the trees increase rapidly 

 in productiveness, and at fifteen to twenty-five years from, planting the period of best 

 fruitfulness is reached, when the average price realised for the fruit on the trees is 

 12 10s. 15 per acre annually, less 5 per cent, auctioneer's commission. The trees 

 continue profitable for many years after attaining the period of best production, and 

 the average yearly returns are about 30 per acre for thriving cherry orchards. Large 

 orchards 50 to 100 acres average 15 a year per acre. Choice lots frequently sell for 

 42, and special lots sometimes reach 80 per acre. These prices are for the crops on 

 the trees, the seller taking the entire proceeds of the sale, less the auctioneer's 5 per 

 cent, commission. 



The grower gathering, packing, and sending the cherries to market may receive, in 

 gross returns, about 100 per acre. Mr. Hooper puts the yield per acre in Kent at four 

 tons, and the price per ton (in 1889) at 25 = 100. An acre of 48 thriving trees in 

 full bearing produces about 372 half-sieves of 24 Ibs., or 186 sieves of 48 Ibs., 

 and the average price per half-sieve is 5s. 4^-d., or 10s. 9d. per sieve = 99 19s. 6d. 

 gross returns per acre. The lowest average price for cherries in the London markets, 

 wholesale, in 1893, was 4s. 4d. per half-sieve = 80 12s.; highest average, 10s. 4d. 

 per half-sieve = 192 4s.; and the mean, 7s. 4d. per half-sieve = 136 8s. per acre. 

 These prices are significant, marking the difference in the returns for moderate, good, 

 and first-class fruit ; but the bulk of the fruit only realises the lowest and mean prices, 

 for the highest are only obtained for choice and comparatively few f-amples. It is safe, 

 however, to take the average of the lowest and mean prices = 103 10s. per acre, not 

 being guided by extreme crops and prices, for trees producing 16^ sieves each = 6 cwt. 

 20 Ibs., or 792 sieves = 16 tons 19 cwt. 1 qr. 20 Ibs. per acre are very exceptional, as 

 also are prices ranging from 7s. to 15s. per half-sieve, mean 11s. = 204 12s. per acre, 

 for when these prices are secured the trees do not carry more than half a crop, 98 

 sieves = 102 6s, per acre. 



The clear profit, when the grower bears all the expenses of gathering, packing, and 



