Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-05-18
FRUIT CROP ESTIMATING.
Correct Predictions Valuable in Helping
Forcsee Prices md Competition.

Correct Predictions Valuable in Helping
Forcsec Prices md Competition.
One OF the most important things in
growing crop Of any kind is to get an
idea of its size as early as possible.
This, while applying to all farm prod
uce. is particularly important TO the
fruit raiser; but it Is surprising how lit
tie information Is available as to some
practical method OF getting this knowl-
edege with any degree of accuracy.
A few moments thought would show
one that the value of any crop is largely
determined by the quantity raised, says
The Country Gentleman" The sooner
this knowledge can be had the better
for everyone. AK anything that tends to
decrease guessing makes farming more
| steady business. The government csti-
mates Of crops are Of value, but how
much more valuable they would be il
they were more accurate! The basis OF
these reports IS informal ton furnished
by farmers and fruit growers, and 1t is
in the hope that some of the fruit grow
ers may be able to make their estimates
| closer that this article Is written.
Coming back particularly to fruit. all
/ those who have to do with II would
benefit il early knowledge could be had
| of the exact crop size Growers could
more easily arrange to have extra help
and teams on hand: material mer
could have an ample supply of boxes
could have ample car facilities and
could arrange for icing; selling agencies
could have more men in the field tc
take care OF large shipments.
The man who makes success is the
one who can produce something that Is
wanted and that is not readily to be had
Last season, being an off season for ap
| pies, the fruit as whole was large
so there was an unusual demand 70,
smaller fruit On the other hand the
Bartlett pear crop was heavy: fruit
was consequently small. and the de
mand was for large Bartletts.
But" says someone. "how can I avail
myself Of that" II is difficult to keey
fruit small. but It can be done by
thinning lightly and letting up on cnlti
walton. However, the main d,antag,
OF knowledge is when heavy crop il
In sight Then the crop should bs
heavily thinned, and nothing but the
finest fruit possible should he produc
ed; the earlier one can start the bet
! ter.
Say 1t costs GO cents a bushel, or box
to raise Western apples. If we get =
cents we make 10 cents. II we get 6
dollar we make ~ cents. Should we thr
our crop so as to get only one-thirrl the
crop. and sell it for dollar box, We
should still be well ahead of the maj
who had three times as much and wa.
able to get only 20 cents While thi.
has only an indirect bearing on the sub
iect il is important in calling growers
! attention to tho sNiftness with which
profits increase when the cost price OF
raising, rather than the selling price. /.
taken as a basis. Assuming the cost
price is correct. there i. not much DIFF
ference in a buyers paying Sc cents as
against 81; yet in the former case the
grower makes nearly 10 per cent; in tn.
latter he makes nothing.
The possibility of estimating a fruit
crop can be developed to most won
derful extent. In one large apple dis
trict / know Of a large amount Of tn,
! fruit is bought while the trees are still
In bloom, the buyers being able to max.
a pretty close guess at the crop. This
I OF course, requires a most remarkabl.
degree ~ skill, and is utterly beyon,
the ability of the average grower. Tn,
method ! am outlining below is one
have practiced, which even when we ha,
moro than 20 carloads was within one pc
| cent of correct. and some years a
close as one-half OF one per cent.
After all likelihood Of immature ap
pels' other fruits falling has passe,
the grower should select an axnrag,
tree. with an average load Of fruit. II,
should start with one limb and coun
every apple on it, beginning at the bot
tom and finishing each branch Of tn.
limb in succession. Then take the mex
limb and so round the tree. He should
mark that tree, and endeavor to fix it.
general size and appearance of fruit il
his mind for the sake of comparison.
probably will be necessary to count
number OF trees before one gets pro
ficient. and very careful observation
and study are necessary The head o
the horticultural department Of one o
the largest universities told NJ
that he himself had counted tho apple
on trees that had more than 40 boxes
and so proficient did Some OF th
classes become that the results some
times did not vary half box to a tree
OF course there are years when tn,
crop sets so irregularly that trees vii
vary from a few apples a tree to 9
bushels, AS my orchard did last year
Such occasions are unusual.
! have found in making estimates the
the proper basis is the number of ap
pies TO tree, rather than the humble
of boxes. So many factors enter in
that early in the season it is almost i'm
possible to determine the exact avera E
size the fruit will likely grow to, How
ever,by referring to records, whicl
every fruit grower should keep, W
know the average size of previous sea
sons and make our estimate according
ly. Should tho season be abnormal I
should he taken into account before tn
final estimate is made