460 Of Orchards. 



mouth, Hereford, and Worcester), may be calculated at 30,000 

 hogsheads, raised at the rate of 20 hogsheads per acre, on 

 1500 acres ( 469 ). At L.2 per hogshead, this would amount 

 to L.60,000, or L.40 per acre. At 30s. per hogshead the 

 return would be L.30 per acre. t^Ji 



It has been disputed, whether pears or apples ought to be 

 preferred in orchards. The pear in general produces an in- 

 ferior liquor, but possesses many advantages over the apple, 

 for general culture. It flourishes in a greater variety of soils ; 

 it is more ornamental ; its fruit is less liable to be stolen, 

 (those sorts which are proper for perry, being unfit to be 

 eaten, or applied to common culinary purposes) ; and it is 

 more productive, trees in general, when nearly full grown, 

 producing annually 20 gallons of liquor ; and as each acre is 

 capable of containing 30 pear trees of the usual dimensions, 

 the average produce may be stated at 600 gallons per acre. 

 On the other hand, though an acre planted with apple trees, 

 will produce but one-third as much liquor, yet the apple be- 

 gins to bear at an earlier age, and cider will ever be gene- 

 rally preferred to the juice of the pear ( 47 ). 



That sort called winter apples, are superior to cherries for 

 profit, for they will keep till they are wanted, either for sale 

 or use ; but cherries will burst or drop, if they are not gather- 

 ed when ripe, and there is not always a demand for them ( 471 ). 

 Cherries are likewise apt to be destroyed by birds. 



It is said, that the importance of apples, as food, has not 

 hitherto been sufficiently estimated. The labourers in Corn- 

 wall, consider them to be nearly as nourishing as bread, and 

 more so than potatoes. In the year 1801, when corn was 

 so scarce and dear, apples, instead of being converted into 

 cider, were sold to the poor ; and the labourers asserted, that 

 they could stand their work, on baked apples without meat, 

 whereas a potatoe diet required either meat or fish ( 47Z ). 



5. Under Crops. These are of various sorts, depending on 

 the age of the orchard ; on the extent of distance between 

 the trees ; on the situation of the orchard ; on the quality 

 of the soil, and other less important circumstances ; but they 

 may be classed under the following heads ; arable crops ; 

 garden crops ; grass ; and miscellaneous articles. 



In young orchards, the ground, if flat and arable, is not 

 unfrequently put under a rotation of corn and green crops ; 

 as, 1. Oats; 2. Potatoes, with dung; 3. Oats, sown down 

 with clover and rye-grass ; 4. Hay ; and 5. Hay ( 473 ). But 

 it is much more advisable, to cultivate the land with the spade 

 than the plough. The harness and the implement do so 

 much injury to the trees, that they cannot be depended on 



