86 Bush-Fruits 



The man who is growing berries to evaporate is not 

 likely to suffer so seriously from drought as the one who 

 sells his fruit fresh. Dry weather reduces the number of 

 quarts per acre more than the number of pounds of dried 

 fruit. A long drought, extending through the early part 

 of the season, does injure the yield, but dry weather at 

 ripening time only, need cause no serious loss if the cul- 

 tivation has been frequent and thorough. The man who 

 will till and care for his plants as he should is nearly 

 independent of drought. 



USUAL PROFITS 



Based on Wilson's figures for average yields of fresh 

 fruits to the acre, as previously quoted, and estimating 

 the yield of dried fruit at ten pounds a bushel, the average 

 amount of dried fruit to be expected from an acre will be 

 about 500 pounds. Wholesale prices for the finished 

 product vary, but in recent years have usually ranged 

 from twenty to twenty-five cents a pound. Formerly 

 the cost of harvesting and marketing ran about as fol- 

 lows: Harvesting with the berry harvester J^ cent a 

 quart; evaporating, 2^4 cents a pound; cleaning for market 

 and marketing each 1 cent a pound. Changed conditions 

 may alter these figures somewhat at the present time, but 

 they will serve as a basis on which the inexperienced man 

 can form some estimate of the probable outcome of the 

 undertaking under favorable conditions. On this basis 

 the gross return to the acre should be $100 to $125, from 

 fields in full bearing. The cost of harvesting and market- 

 ing would be $30 or more, leaving the remainder to pay 



