78 



THE GAKDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



table 4 feet by 3 feet has been provided for pack- 

 ing and for the fruit selected for dessert. The 

 shelves are made with deal laths 3 inches wide, 

 and with slightly rounded edges to prevent 

 injury to the fruit. Eighteen inches is allowed 

 between each shelf, and this is found sufficient 

 to allow of the fruit being readily examined. 



Beyond this, the water-supply may occasion 

 some expense, as, wherever spraying is system- 



atically and thoroughly carried out, sufficient 

 water must be at command whenever it is 

 needed. Near towns the usual services are 

 available, and, though costly, are convenient; 

 in rural districts, wells and water-sources have 

 to be depended upon. Well-sinking is expen- 

 sive work, especially in some soils; while if 

 the water has to be raised to higher levels 

 from rivers or brooks, rams in some form will 



Fig. 872.— Fruit-room at Foxlmry, Chislehurst. 



be necessary, or the light iron or steel wind- 

 mills, now frequently used, are serviceable and 

 essential in all extensive plantations. If capa- 

 cious tanks are placed on the most elevated part 

 of the land, or sufficiently raised for the purpose, 

 the water can be distributed by gravitation, the 

 expense of the requisite pipes being a profitable 

 set-off against the hand-labour otherwise needed. 

 Working Expenses. — The cost per acre of con- 

 ducting and maintaining an Apple plantation 

 for market supplies must necessarily be in- 

 fluenced by many circumstances. The extent, 

 the methods of planting and cropping, the 

 nature of the soil, the freedom from weeds 

 or the reverse, the system of sale adopted, 

 and how far horse labour can be substituted 

 for, or utilized as additional to, hand labour. 

 The proportionate expenses are greater per 

 acre in the smaller undertakings, but will be 



materially modified by the part taken by the 

 grower himself; if he exercises an active super- 

 intendence and takes a lead in all work the 

 reduction may be considerable. As regards 

 the number of hands required permanently, or 

 at least for the greater portion of the year, 

 it may range from one man per acre up to one 

 man per 4 acres, with a lad for every two or 

 three men. This will suffice for the routine 

 work, but extra help would be needed at fruit- 

 gathering on most plantations from 5 acres 

 upwards. Gathering apples can be done by 

 piece-work where the permanent labour is not 

 equal to the task, and the cost will be from 

 3d. to 6d. per bushel, in an ordinary way, 

 depending upon the size of the fruit, the 

 crop, and the size of the trees. In the case 

 of large standards, where ladders have to be 

 used and the work is necessarily slow, the 



