Orchard farming is common in1 ranches 2 station 3 estate 4 colonies
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is: 3. estate
Explanation:
Orchard farming is the practice of cultivating fruit trees and nut trees in a planned and managed way to produce crops like apples, oranges, mangoes, and nuts. This type of farming requires careful attention to soil, irrigation, pruning, and pest control, and it is often done on a relatively large scale.
Let’s look at the options:
- Ranches – Ranches are primarily large areas used for raising livestock such as cattle, sheep, or horses. While some ranches may have small orchards for personal use, their main focus is animal grazing, not orchard farming.
- Stations – In countries like Australia, “stations” refer to large farms or pastoral leases mainly dedicated to extensive livestock grazing over vast areas. Like ranches, stations are typically not focused on intensive crop cultivation such as orchards.
- Estate – An estate usually refers to a large area of land, often privately owned, where intensive farming or plantation agriculture is practiced. Estates are known for commercial-scale production of crops such as tea, coffee, rubber, and especially orchards with fruits and nuts. Estates have the infrastructure and labor resources to support orchard farming, including irrigation systems and regular maintenance.
- Colonies – Colonies historically refer to settlements or groups of people living in a particular area. This term is not typically used to describe farming types.
Why is orchard farming common on estates?
- Size and Scale: Estates are large enough to support the space-intensive needs of orchard farming.
- Investment: Orchards require significant initial investment for planting, irrigation, and maintenance. Estates typically have the capital and labor to sustain this.
- Commercial Purpose: Estates are often set up for commercial agriculture, making orchards economically viable.
- Climate and Soil: Estates are usually located in areas suitable for growing specific fruits or nuts, optimizing productivity.
In summary, orchard farming is common in estates because these are large, managed agricultural lands designed to support the intensive care and infrastructure required for fruit and nut cultivation. Ranches and stations focus more on livestock, and colonies are not a farming classification