ALABAMA 3 
brought into the warehouse and sold to 
shippers as they would sell cotton The 
smilax is packed carefully in light 
wooden boxes and it is then shipped by 
express to the northern cities. The height 
of the season comes just before Christ- 
mas, and the smilax together with holly 
brings a considerable income to the peéo- 
ple in these counties. 
There are few places in Alabama where 
some kind of fruit cannot be grown with 
good profit. 
The Apple 
The northern half of the state produces 
apples abundantly, and they bring a 
fancy price when care is given to their 
culture. A number of orchards that have 
been well cared for produced this past 
season, at the age of eight years, eight 
to ten boxes of fruit per tree that 
sold for $1.50 per box By  inter- 
cropping, the cost of the orchard will 
scarcely be worth mentioning until it 
comes into bearing, outside of the land, 
trees and planting. The average orchard 
contains about 48 trees to the acre, 30x30 
feet, and with standard varieties from 
the eighth year will produce from $8 to 
$12 per tree per annum, which makes a 
net profit of from $200 to $300 per acre. 
several growers in 1912 obtained re- 
sults equal to the above, and one much 
better. A grower in Cullman county 
made $600 per acre on eight-year trees. 
Pears 
Pears grow well in all parts of the 
state, wherever they are provided with 
well drained soil. From 60 to 100 trees 
may be grown on an acre, and on healthy, 
well-manured trees from 15 to 25 bushels 
may be expected. Several growers re- 
ported an average of 20 bushels per tree. 
With 60 bearing trees an acre will pro- 
duce from 400 to 800 bushels. Pears 
readily sell for $1 per bushel, and often 
bring more. One grower reported his 
pear orchard netted $800 per acre, while 
several others made a net profit of $600 
per acre. 
Excellent crops of the Sand Pear and 
Keiffer were produced as far south as 
Mobile. 
Peaches and Plums 
Peaches and plums are two fruits that 
may be considered the most important 
commercial crops grown in the South. 
Little has been done toward proving the 
success of the plum in this state. Those 
who have grown plums have succeeded 
very well. About 134 trees can be grown 
on an acre 18x18 feet each way, and at 
a bearing age will produce from one to 
three crates per tree, which gives an 
annual yield of from 134 to 200 crates 
per acre Plums find a ready market, 
and sell for a fancy price. With good 
care from $200 to $300 per acre can be 
realized. 
The peach can be grown in all parts 
ef the state if it is provided with good 
soil. The conditions for growing peaches 
in this state are as good as in Georgia. 
About 184 trees can be grown on an 
acre, planting 18x18 feet, and from four 
to six years will produce from one to four 
erates per tree of marketable fruit, which 
nets about $150 per crate, making from 
$200 to $300 per acre net profit. With 
proper spraying, pruning, fertilizing and 
cultivating one can easily realize a net 
profit of $200 per acre per annum. The 
1912 season peaches were shipped in car 
lots from several points in the state. At- 
more and Camp Hill, several carloads; 
Gadsden, 30 cars; Union Springs, 100 
cars. 
Grape 
The grape is a fruit that usually re- 
ceives very little attention. Often it is 
not provided with a good trellis and sel- 
dom gets pruned. If it is half cared for 
it will produce good fruit, and if well 
cared for will produce a profitable crop. 
A few growers have found the grape to 
succeed well. One man who is growing 
grapes for the market realized in 1912 
a profit of $600 per acre off a four-year 
vineyard. Grapes sell readily and come 
at a season when other fruits are scarce. 
An acre will produce from three to four 
tons of fruit and the choice fruit will 
pring 25 cents per basket or 10 cents 
per pound. Concords from New York 
sold for 14 cents per pound, 1912 season. 
The farmers of Alabama could supply 
