190 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



manufacturers for cider fruit from the years 1889 to 1895 

 inclusive, ranging from £5 a ton in a scarce year to as low as 

 20s. a ton when fruit was plentiful. Selected sorts kept separate 

 fetch 10s. a ton more than the average, and for a few choice 

 varieties, as the Foxwhelp and the Kingston Black, my informant 

 tells me he can generally give from 5s. to Gs. per cwt. Also in 

 comparing cider fruit with other fruit for profit, it must be borne 

 in mind that the expenses are much less than they are with 

 choice table or cooking fruit. The former is shaken down, and 

 is neither handpicked nor packed in hampers. It is also most 

 frequently now grown in grass orchards, where the under crop of 

 grass is worth as much as, and sometimes (because being sheltered 

 it is earlier) more than, if there were no trees. 



Now as to the saleability of cider and perry. All experi- 

 enced cider-makers who know what they are about will tell you 

 that they have no difficulty in selling really good, sound liquor. 

 When introduced into districts where it is practically unknown 

 except by name, such as parts of the North of England, it 

 takes well. Being a year or two since in Buxton, I made 

 inquiries there, and was told by an innkeeper that he had 

 lately obtained a supply of draught cider from Hereford, 

 and that in the summer months he found quite as ready a 

 sale for it among the working classes as for beer, and at the 

 same price. Perry is less known than cider, though I do 

 not doubt that much is sold under the name of cider, for some 

 perry, such as that made from the Longland Pear, is in- 

 distinguishable from cider. It also mixes very well with cider, 

 and personally such a mixture is one that for ordinary drinking 

 I prefer. Perry is also an excellent winter drink, being more 

 warming than cider. Even in districts where cider-making has 

 but recently been introduced, as in Kent, there appears to be no 

 difficulty in disposing of the produce. The same gentleman of 

 Kent from whom I quoted just now says of the venture in cider- 

 making lately made there : " In the result we have had several 

 thousand gallons which we have disposed of locally, proving 

 beyond question that there is no lack of demand for genuine 

 cider in our own neighbourhood ; and knowing as much as we do 

 now, ouf regret is that we did not make four times the quantity. 

 Most of it lias been sold in casks, none less than ten gallons, and 

 all at remunerative prices." 



