THE LOQUAT AND ITS RELATIVES 261 



For this reason grafting has superseded budding in that state. 

 The stocks should be of the same size as for budding, and the 

 cion should be of well-matured wood. Cleft-grafting is the 

 method commonly employed. 



The young trees should be stake-trained in the nursery, 

 and headed 24 to 30 inches above the ground. In a year from 

 the time of budding or grafting they should be ready for 

 transplanting. 



In California, budded or grafted trees begin to bear the second 

 or third year after they are planted in the orchard, but they can- 

 not be expected to produce commercial crops until four or five 

 years old. According to Condit, a ten-year-old tree should 

 produce 200 pounds of fruit. Early in the season, the latter 

 part of February and all of March, prices are high. Fancy 

 fruit will bring 25 to 35 cents a pound at this time. Later, 

 in May and June, the average price drops to 5 cents and 

 occasionally lower, but fancy fruit rarely sells for less than 8 

 to 10 cents a pound. It is the opinion of experienced loquat- 

 growers that the gross returns from an orchard should be $300 

 to $500 an acre; more than this has been obtained in some 

 instances. The advisability of planting early varieties, in 

 order to place the crop on the market while prices are high, is 

 emphasized by all growers. If late fruit is to be produced, it 

 should be of large-fruited varieties which ship well ; otherwise 

 the profits will be small. 



Yield and picking. 



The loquat tree is productive, and a regular bearer. Barring 

 crop failures due to severe frosts at flowering time, the trees 

 rarely fail to produce well every year. Their tendency is to 

 overbear, with the result that the fruits are apt to be undersized. 

 It has been profitable to thin the crop, since the increased size 

 of the fruits remaining on the tree more than compensates for 

 the loss of those removed. The practice of experienced loquat- 



