THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
303 
this instance, the crab characters were naturally somewhat 
intensified by the combination. This strain of hybrids is 
particularly promising on the score of hardiness. 
This line of work is particularly commendable and not¬ 
able, for the reason that it started out to produce an apple 
product adapted to a region in which the apple was not 
native, and the cultivated forms were unable to withstand 
climatic vicissitudes. The fact that these primary forms, 
which are not, of course, to be classed as dessert fruits, have 
been produced represents striking results, and this work will 
act as great encouragement to plant breeders generally, who 
are in regions where problems of a similar or allied character 
prevail. Dr. Saunders has been associated with plant 
breeding work for more than half a century, and his name 
will always be associated with the production of worthy 
forms of grapes, raspberries, gooseberries, and apples. 
This work, of course, being backed by a governmental 
institution, is only in its infancy, and may be expected to go 
on and improve with the years. 
more and more impressed upon the growers. Each year 
the quality of the product is scrutinized with greater care by 
the consumer. 
Throughout the East very favorable 
THE CHERRY reports have been received of the returns 
SEASON and behavior of cherry orchards. In 
Western New York, notably in the Lake 
Erie region, sour cherries have proved a very profitable 
orchard crop. In the Niagara district on the Canadian 
side equally favorable reports are received. A Canadian 
grower announces that he received $1.75 for an eleven quart 
basket of early purple cherries. Black Tartarians brought 
as high as $1.50, while Windsor cherries were sold for $1.90 
per basket. Rot has been very little in evidence on account 
of the dry weather in May. 
fruit and plant Notes 
COST OF 
GROWING 
APPLES IN 
WESTERN 
NEW YORK 
A very good piece of work being carried 
on by thg Division of Farm Management 
of the United States Department of Agri¬ 
culture is that of ascertaining by actual 
record the cost of production of the various 
orchard and farm products. 
Mr. M. C. Burritt has made a careful 
record of the items constituting the cost of managing an 
orchard of six acres containing 234 trees. He finds that the 
spray material has cost him $2.28 per acre per year; the 
barrels have cost him $21.76; labor has amounted to $37.91; 
equipment has cost $4.58; and the interest on the land 
investment amounts to $5.67. The total cost per acre is 
$ 73 - 38 - 
Taking these figures as a basis, Mr. Burritt believes that 
he could deliver a barrel of apples at his station at from $1.00 
to $1.25 under average crop conditions, and in doing this 
he would receive about five per cent on the capital invested 
besides fair wages for his labor. In addition to the apples 
which could be marketed in barrels, he would have culls 
and windfalls representing clear profit. These have amount¬ 
ed to 29 cents per barrel during the last nine years. He 
believes, finally, that he could grow and sell a barrel of 
apples for 90 cents and pay all expenses connected with its 
production. Of course a five per cent rate of interest would 
not take care of the speculative risk which is inevitably 
associated with crop production, and therefore the profit 
should be very much larger than this figure. 
BRITISH 
COLUMBIA 
APPLE PACK¬ 
ING SCHOOL 
That our friends on the Canadian Pacific 
Coast are alive to the necessity of training 
men in the business of apple packing is evi¬ 
denced by the fact that the Department 
of Agriculture conducted thirty packing 
schools distributed throughout the Pro¬ 
vince last season. From these there were graduated over 
four hundred pupils. Diplomas are given to those who 
show greatest proficiency. The necessity of packing fruit 
with the greatest possible skill and accuracy is becoming 
BRACKETT PEACH FROM MAYFIELD ORCHARDS, 
BERCKMANS BROS., GEORGIA 
Sir; We are sending you by this mail a few samples of 
“Brackett” peach. Kindly test same and give us your 
opinion of this variety. We have tested this variety at our 
Mayfield Orchards for the past six years with most satis¬ 
factory results. Its period of ripening commences just at 
the close of Elberta season, which makes it a most valuable 
variety for commercial purposes. This peach is evidently 
a cross between Smock and Chinese Cling. It was named 
by us in honor of Col. G. B. Brackett, Pomologist, U. S. 
Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 
The specimens sent are of average size. This peach has 
good carrying qualities and everything to commend it for 
commercial purposes. 
Berckmans Bros., 
Augusta, Ga. 
Description: Size, 2M^X2F2; form, oval, depressed 
laterally; color yellow, partly covered with carmine blush; 
down moderately thick; cavity deep, roundish; suture well 
marked; apex sharply pointed; flesh yellow, streaked with 
red near pit, firm, juicy, fair quality; season July 15-20. 
This reminds one of the Elberta tribe, and following the 
Georgia Elberta season it appears to have considerable 
value. It arrived in good condition and kept for several 
days without any special cooling provision. 
NEW STRAWBERRIES 
The New York Experiment Station at Geneva has been 
studying the merits of the newer strawberries presented to 
the trade during the past few years and has set down the 
results of its findings in Bulletin 336. This bulletin contains 
a large amount of useful information. One of the striking 
points brought out is that water is a very important factor in 
strawberry culture. Ripe fruit contains in each 100 pounds 
from 87 to 95 pounds of water. Therefore, at the maturing 
period, abundance of water is an essential. The following 
varieties were found to be very productive; Battenburg, 
Clifton, Early Ozark, Iowa, Paul Jones, Rockhill No. 10, 
Swedenberg. 
