128 BUSH-FRUITS 



The other expenses of the first year, including set- 

 ting and care of the plants, should be offset by the 

 return from the crop which may be planted between the 

 rows to utilize the ground not yet occupied by the 

 berry plants. We may at least expect the plantation 

 to bear four profitable crops of fruit, so that dividing 

 the first year's expense by four, the cost for subsequent 

 years, exclusive of picking and marketing, may be 

 estimated somewhat as follows: 



Proportion of first year's expense $10 00 



Eent of land 5 00 



Fertilizers 20 00 



Cultivation and hoeing 10 00 



Pruning 5 00 . 



Removing old canes 5 00 



Add to cover deficiencies . , 10 00 



$65 00 



The second year, the crop, which is but a partial one, 

 should about meet expenses. After that, let us place 

 the yield at the average obtained from the replies 

 already referred to, which is 3,158 quarts. If these can 

 be made to net five cents a quart after deducting the 

 cost of picking and marketing, the net return will be 

 $157.90, leaving a net profit of a little more than $90 

 per acre. If they can be made to net only four cents, 

 the net return will be but $126.32, leaving a profit 

 of but little more than $60 per acre. 



In connection with this, for the purpose of seeing 

 what can be done by a thorough -going, energetic man, 

 let us compare the following close estimate made by 

 M. A. Thayer, of Sparta, Wisconsin: 



