6 9 



estimated that the two counties which appear to be spec- 

 ially adapted to apple culture, are capable of raising from 

 'five to ten millions of barrels annually, it is obvious that 

 the future of the apple market will probably be to a large 

 extent in their hands. Under such a present and pros- 

 pective condition of affairs could the Department of Ag- 

 riculture better serve the farmers of New England than 

 by sending a commission to Nova Scotia to get at all the 

 facts in the case, and more especially to determine 

 whether or not there are any varieties which the Euro- 

 pean market would take that we can raise here better 

 than they can there ? 



A word from my experience with the Russet Baldwin, a 

 variety which has been highly praised at some of our insti- 

 tute gatherings — and as far as quality goes not over- 

 praised for in this respect it is superior to the famous Bald- 

 win itself. In its cropping qualities I find it to be decid- 

 edly inferior to the Baldwin. On my farm I had many 

 native trees grafted to it which I now intend to regraft 

 with the Baldwin. 



For several years I have sold my apple crop on the trees 

 either at a fixed price per barrel or by the lump, the pur- 

 chaser in the former case to take all on the ground after a 

 given date, previous to which I had all the windfalls picked 

 up, this condition being made in order that I might not 

 lose by any storm that might occur after the sale. I have 

 found on figuring over the matter that the profit on the 

 apple crop, where pickers are hired, is not so large as is 

 .generally believed. My figures are as follows. In them I 

 assume that 8 barrels is an average days' work by a care- 

 iul hand, taking the whole orchard as it averages : — 



Dr. 

 Barrel of Apples, 



To picking, $0 19 



Barrel, 20 



Sorting, filling and heading, 10 



Marketing at rate of ten barrels per day, 25 



$0 74 



