492 



Competition in Apple Growing. 



[OCT., 



Next we have an account of an orchard of n acres, with 

 the yields of the last 6 years, which average 3,627 bushels, 

 or 330 bushels per acre of "firsts/' sold in barrels at £337, or 

 /30 13s. per acre. Nothing is said about the yield or sale of 

 the inferior apples. 



Another orchard of 18 acres, the trees being about 35 years 

 old, has yielded from 300 to 483 bushels per acre per annum 

 in the last 6 years. The average money return was £54 13s. 

 per acre. 



From 25 acres of Baldwin and Greening apple trees, 30 to 

 40 years of age, the average annual yield for the last 6 years 

 was 327 bushels per acre, and the average money return was 

 £55 9 s - P er acre. Here again the yield and money returns 

 of windfalls and other inferior fruit are not noticed. Possibly 

 they were sold as food for pigs, but in many cases they are cut 

 into rings or pieces of other form and dried, or made into cider. 



The largest return given is that of a small grower. As 

 he has only 25 trees his orchard is almost certainly less 

 than an acre in extent. In 1907 he obtained 1,000 bushels, 

 or 40 bushels per tree, and made £208 from the whole crop, or 

 over £8 per tree. More moderate but still a good return from 

 20 acres in 1907 was £1,458, or £72 18s. per acre. 



The most remarkable account of yield is one of several 

 Baldwin apple trees which produced from 36 to 54 bushels 

 each, while one gave 60 bushels. The money return in this 

 case is not given, but it must have been high. 



It is hardly necessary to say that these great yields and 

 money returns are extraordinary ; but it is questionable 

 whether they could be matched by the best of returns in this 

 country. On several occasions it has been officially reported 

 that the average yield of apples in Canada from bearing trees 

 of all ages was 6 bushels per tree, one year with another. 

 Considering the small amount yielded by the large proportion 

 of very young trees, this is very good. As the proportion of 

 mature orchards is higher in the United States the average 

 yield per tree is probably higher. 



Fruit growers in this country are less communicative than 

 those of the North American Continent, and there are no reports 

 of yield to compare with those given above. Our apple crop 

 varies enormously in different seasons, and returns of results 



