71 



Cob and filbert nuts, lid. to 3Jd. per 

 pcfk of 71bs. ; now 3d. per' 1001h!>. 



The cost in 1920 was nearly double the 

 pro-war eost. 



Thinning Fruit. 



Ill most seasons some varieties of 

 apples, pears, and plums set more fruit 

 than they ought to carry. If all of it is 

 left to ripen the strain on the tree is so 

 great that it often requires a year or two 

 in which to recover before it can bear 

 another crop, beside which growth is 

 checked, and branches often break under 

 the weight of fruit. Moreover, an over- 

 crowdedcrop is generally composed largely 

 of small fruit which are not of the highest 

 value. In years of plenty in particular, 

 none but apples and pears of good size 

 realise the top price, this referring especi- 



ally to cooking apples. It has been 

 proved that thinning increases the pro- 

 portion of firsts and secures an enhanced 

 financial result over a series of years. To 

 be of much service thinning must be done 

 early, preferably in June. Generally it is 

 sufficient to thin apples and pears to one 

 fruit to a cluster, removing, of course, the 

 smallest and any that are diseased or 

 blemished. Sometimes, if the clusters are 

 far apart, two fruits may be left at each. 

 On the other hand, if a very full crop has 

 been set, all the fruit should be taken from 

 some clusters, leaving the apples or pears 

 about 8 inches apart. The thinning of 

 plums is generally left until the fruit re- 

 moved is large enough to market green ; 

 and for this a higher price is sometimes 

 realised than for the ripe fruit later in the 

 season. Plums should be left four inches 

 apart. 



