THE PROFITS Of FRUIT CULTURE. 



it 



APPLES. 



The first fruit, both in importance and j^eneriil culture, 

 is the Apple. Its period, unlike that of other fruit, i'xtends 

 nearly or quite through the year. By plantiuf^ judicious 

 selections of Summer, Autumn and "Winter sorts, a constant 

 succession can easily be obtained of this indispensable fruit 

 for family use. 



There is no farm crop which, on thi' uverai^e, will pro- 

 duce one-fourth aa much inconn? per acre as will a good 

 ai)plo orchard. As it takes from six to eight years for an 

 orchard to come into bearing, sonio people hesitate to plant, 

 regarding the time and expense as in a great measure lost. 

 In reply to this, we would quote the remarks made by O. 

 C. Chapin, of East Bloomheld, N. Y., to J. J. Thomas. He 

 said that he considered the yearly growth of each apple 

 tree planted in his immense orchard of over one hundred 

 and fifty acres, to be worth iully one dollar before they 

 commenced bearing. He has had experience of nearly half 

 a century, and he says that he considers this a low estimate. 

 At forty trees per acre, this would make a yearly increase 

 of value of forty dollars per acre, which no doubt is quite 

 within the mark. 



An acre of good orchard is worth, in nearly all parts of 

 the country, from $200 to $300 dollars, and is the best kind 

 of investment at those prices ; one or two years crops fre- 

 quently paying the whole amount. The price paid for the 

 fruit is steadily on the increase, and there is no indication 

 that it will ever be as low in the future as in the past. 



If apples are planted at the rate of forty trees per acre, 

 rows of plum trees can be planted between the apples, 

 which protect them from the winds, and thus are a great 

 benefit to them. After eight or ten years of productiveness, 

 as the space is needed for apples, the plum trees may be 

 removed, leaving the orchard better for the protection, and 

 at the same time having yielded the grower a large return 

 for his trouble. 



