Читать книгу Fruit Ranching in British Columbia - John Thomas Bealby - Страница 13

In another official publication of the British Columbia Government, namely, "Agriculture in British Columbia," Official Bulletin, No. 10, we read (pp. 22-25): "Mr. T. W. Stirling, Bankhead Ranch, Kelowna, says: This orchard of about 16 acres will produce about 160 to 170 tons this present year (1906). In 1903 it produced 140 tons; in 1904 it produced 130 tons; in 1905 it produced 160 to 170 tons; and probably it has not yet reached maximum production. Apples (variety Jonathan), planted in 1900, produced this year 100lbs. a tree—fruit worth $1.50 (6s.) per 40lb. box, f.o.b. packing-house—last year these trees yielded, as four-year-olds, 60lbs. a tree. Next year's crop may be estimated at 200lbs. per tree. One and one-third acres of Bartlett—i.e., Williams—pears produced 16 tons of fruit, or about 800 boxes (selling price $1.35 (5s. 6d.) per box f.o.b. packing-house—$1,080=£216). One and one-third acres of Beurré d'Anjou pears produced 17 tons, or 850 boxes (selling price, $1.40 (5s. 8d.) per box f.o.b. packing-house—$1,090=£218). Two and one-third acres of Italian prunes produced 32 tons, or 3,200 crates (selling price, 60 cents (2s. 6d.) per crate—$1,920=£384). One acre of plums produced 12 tons, or 1,200 crates (selling price, 70 cents (3s.) per crate—$840=£168). Over $5,000 (£1,000) from six and one-third acres!" In "Southern British Columbia, the Garden of Canada," issued by the Canadian Pacific Railway, it is said (pp. 8-9): "Mr. J. M. Durr has four acres of bottom land on St. Joseph's Creek, south of Cranbrook [in the Crows' Nest Pass]. He has 3½ acres under cultivation. Off nine-tenths of an acre he raised 12 tons of first-class potatoes. An acre and a half of cabbages yielded the enormous quantity of 15 tons, which sold for 8 cents (4d.) per pound. He also raised 5 tons of carrots from a quarter acre. Mr. Durr's profits for the season, after retaining all the vegetables required for his own use, was $800 (£160), equal to over $200 (£40) per acre."

A privately-issued pamphlet, in speaking of the Kootenay Valley fruit lands, says: "One peach-tree produced 23 crates of marketable fruit, which sold for $40.25 (£8 1s.), and one strawberry patch, containing an acre and five-eighths, produced 498 crates of first-class berries, which at $2.25 (9s.) per crate, means about $690 (£138). The above are, of course, not average prices; but the prices obtained last year for strawberries netted the fruit farmer about $200 (£40) per acre. An apple orchard of about 3,000 trees, four years old, netted $4 (16s.) per tree, with 76 trees to the acre. Cherries sold from $20 (£4) to $25 (£5) per tree."

My next extract is from an ably-conducted Nelson newspaper, "The Daily News." In describing the valley of the Kettle River, which lies west of the Kootenays, it says: "Italian prunes grown on the Covert estate by J. D. Honsberger, who purchased a portion of the estate two years ago, were shipped by him to Winnipeg at prices which yielded him a net return of $275 (£65) per acre. . . . Last year the older apple orchard on the same estate yielded a net return of $300 (£60) per acre, some of the trees giving over 20 cases of fruit each."

Mr. E. A. Ackland, of the Toronto "Globe," reported, when writing about the Nelson district: "As to prices, the [straw] berries averaged $1.80 (7s. 4d.) per crate net, and a case is reported where 5 acres of strawberries last year [1905] netted $1,000 (£200) clear to the producer. Apples brought about $1.50 (6s.) per box, averaging $8 (£1 7s. 6d) to $25 (£5) per tree." Usually from 50 to 80 trees are planted to the acre.

Mr. Maxwell Smith, Dominion Fruit Inspector, speaking of British Columbia, has stated publicly that the "fruit lands of the province pay from $50 (£10) to $1,200 (£240) per acre, according to cultivation; $150 (£30) an acre is a common net return."

Mr. W. J. Brandrith, Secretary-Treasurer of the British Columbian Fruit Growers' Association, reporting to the Bureau of Provincial Information for the season of 1905, said: . . . "Average prices throughout the provinces were as follows: No. 1 apples, from October 1st, 1905, to March 31st, 1906, were $1.27 (5s. 1d.) per 40lb. box f.o.b. shipping point. The early varieties started out at $1 (4s. net), and during the latter part of February and March as high as $2 (8s.) per box was being paid for strictly No. 1 in carload lots. The average prices of other fruits for the season of 1905 were: Pears $1.38 (4s. 6½d.) per 40lb. box; prunes and plums, 75 cents (3s.) per 20lb. box; peaches, $1.15 (4s. 7½d.) per 20lb. box; strawberries, $2.30 (9s. 3d.) per 24-basket crate; raspberries, $2.19 (8s. 9½d.) per 24-basket crate; blackberries, $2.40 (9s. 8d.) per 24-basket crate; gooseberries, 5½ cents (2¾d.) per lb.; crabapples, 2½ cents (1¼d.) per lb.; tomatoes, 5½ cents (2¾d.) per lb.; currants, 7 cents (3½d.) per lb.; and cherries, 9 cents (4½d.) per lb."

All these, it must be remembered, were wholesale prices, the prices realised by the grower, not the prices paid by the consumer. They range probably somewhat higher than prices of the corresponding fruit in England. Add to this the heavier yield, the greater certainty of a crop, and the lower cost of the land, and the scale of advantage dips without hesitation in favour of British Columbia.

I had before me another table of returns which was not without its effect in the way of influencing my decision. The accompanying statement does not tell us whether part of the produce mentioned was reared under glass; but the inference (e.g., tomato plants) is that it was. And I may state that after I reached British Columbia I visited Messrs. Gellatly's holding personally, and found there two large glass houses, probably each 150 feet long by 25 feet or more wide.

"As an example of what can be done on a 10-acre farm in British Columbia, the following statement of early fruit and vegetables shipped from Gellatly [beside Okanagan Lake], B.C., by D. E. Gellatly and Sons is submitted:—