THE APPLE. 



77 



results by the much smaller outlay already 

 indicated. 



The provision of roads in the plantation 

 must be considered; but in some districts, 

 where suitable materials have to be carted a 

 long distance, the expense is practically pro- 

 hibitive to a market grower, and in conse- 

 quence the work cannot be done as thoroughly 

 as might be desired. Near large towns the 

 coarser refuse, cinders, &c, can often be readily 

 obtained, and the basis of serviceable roads 

 may be thus formed cheaply. In districts 

 where clay abounds, if small coal can be had 

 at a moderate price, hard burnt ballast is use- 

 ful, but in wet or soft land it does not make 

 a lasting road if there is much heavy traffic. 

 Coarse gravel, stones, or similar durable ma- 

 terials vary greatly in price, and it is difficult 

 to quote average rates. A rough road may 

 cost between 3d. and Is. per square yard, but 

 the last-named figure should only be reached 

 where materials are costly or where, owing to 

 the nature of the land, extra thickness of ma- 

 terial is necessary. 



The next important item in the expenses 

 is obtaining the trees, either by purchase in 

 a nursery or by raising them. Well-estab- 

 lished Apple-trees, both dwarfs and standards, 

 can be had in quantity at all the best nur- 

 series at very moderate prices, ranging, accord- 

 ing to age, condition, and variety, from £3, 10s. 

 to £5 per 100. They can be raised by the 

 grower himself, at about £2 or £2, 10s. per 100, 

 by budding on bought stocks, but there are 

 serious losses to count against this, which may 

 be increased if the budder is lacking in ex- 

 perience. Many market growers, however, are 

 now practically nurserymen also, and not only 

 raise their own trees, but also sell their surplus. 

 It is well to have a few stock trees true to 

 name to furnish buds of the required varieties, 

 as sometimes they are difficult to obtain when 

 needed, except at extravagant prices. The 

 same remark applies to scions for grafting, but 

 to obtain the numbers for a large plantation, 

 trees of good size are needed. 



Planting and staking constitute a portion of 

 the expenses of establishing an Apple plantation, 

 but if one- or two -year- old dwarf trees are 

 selected, the staking can usually be dispensed 

 with. Planting can be done by piece-work 

 at an agreed price per 100 trees, but this is 

 not an advisable procedure. It is preferable 

 in all ways to entrust this work to careful 

 men, under the personal supervision of the 

 grower. Where the ground has been pre- 



viously prepared, the holes for the trees can 

 be taken out immediately in advance of the 

 planters, and the two operations need not ex- 

 ceed Id. to 2d. per tree for large areas: on 

 small plantations the average cost would be 

 rather greater. Taking young dwarf and stan- 

 dard Apple-trees, with staking where necessary, 

 £1 per 100 may be regarded as a fair inclusive 

 charge for the whole work of planting and the 

 first pruning, if performed immediately. Other 

 expenses must be included in the first outlay 

 on a well - organized plantation, such as the 

 provision of tools and labour-saving appliances, 

 which may range between £5 and £10 for 

 small plantations, or at the approximate rate 

 of £2 per acre for larger ones. A horse or 

 pony and cart will be required wherever 

 general cropping and home marketing are 

 carried out. Much labour can also be saved 

 on a plantation by the use of a horse or strong 

 pony if some of the best forms of light culti- 

 vators are employed. 



The provision of storing-, sorting-, and pack- 

 ing-rooms also needs attention; but if sheds 

 or similar out-buildings already exist on the 

 place, they can usually be readily, and with 

 small expense, adapted for the desired pur- 

 poses. If, however, they have to be erected, 

 it is a rather serious matter on small under- 

 takings. 



An excellent fruit-room is that shown in figs. 

 872, 873, and is in the gardens of Foxbury, 

 Chislehurst. It is handsome in appearance, 

 simple in construction, comparatively inexpen- 

 sive, and in every way satisfactory. It is 35 feet 

 long, 15 J feet wide, and 16 feet high. The walls 

 are formed with match-boards and reeds, the 

 latter being about 7 inches in thickness, and 

 kept in place by strips of wood fixed horizon- 

 tally at equal distances apart, as shown in the 

 illustration. The base of the walls is formed 

 with concrete, and the floor is formed of the 

 same material. Access is obtained to the struc- 

 ture by double doors, one opening outwards and 

 the other inwards, the duplication of the door 

 being for the purpose of preventing the fruit- 

 being influenced by the temperature of the 

 external air. A ventilator is fixed over the 

 door, and at the other end of the fruit-room is 

 a window with a ventilator over it, and from 

 this window sufficient light is obtained. Inter- 

 nally the fittings comprise a central set of 

 shelves arranged in four tiers and 4 feet wide, 

 and a range of shelves round the side 2 feet 

 6 inches wide, and also in four tiers. At the 

 end of the central shelves next the door a fixed 



