228 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE, 



APPLE GROWING FOR PROFIT. 



By H. B. MiLLEK, Eugene. 



Apple growing- in Southei^n Oregon is becoming one of the leading indus- 

 tries. It has passed through all of the experimental stages, and is perma- 

 nently established on a profitable basis. 



The principal apple-growing district of Southern Oregon is in Douglas, 

 Josephine, and Jackson counties, in the valleys of the Umpqua and Rogue 

 rivers and their tributaries. As these valleys have conditions of soil .and 

 climate nearly alike, so far as apple production is conc^erned, they may be 

 treated as one section. There are many important points of difference 

 between these localities and other parts of Western Oregon in the matter of 

 apple growing, so this area constitutes an apple belt of its own, clearly 

 different from others on the coast. While there are some varieties even 

 between the valleys of the Umpqua and Rogue rivers, they are both equally 

 good for the })roduction of winter apples, and the variations need be taken 

 in account only in the selection of varieties. 



The cost of planting and caring for an apple orchard, and the profit it 

 will yield, are matters worthy of careful consideration. Good apple land can 

 be bought for $(;0 per acre. Other items of outlay are : Seventy trees, $5 

 per acre ; preparing ground and planting, $5 i:)er acre ; care of trees at $10 

 annually for six years, $60 ; total cost of orchard, $130 per acre at six years. 



Crops grown between trees up to four years old should pay interest on 

 this investment. The trees might bear a crop at six years from planting ; 

 in fact I have known some varieties to produce two bushels to the tree at 

 six years, but it is not a fair calculation to count on a crop before seven 

 years, and with some varieties and localities I have observed that they will 

 not bear before twelve years old. These are matters that should be exam- 

 ined into before planting, 



A safe calculation of production and profit after the bearing period be- 

 gins is as follows : 



At seven years, two boxes of marketable fruit from each tree, one 



hundred and forty boxes at forty cents per box on the tree $ 56 00 



Cost of cultivating, trimming, and spraying 15 00 



Net per acre 8 41 00 



COUNTING CROP EVERY SECOND YEAR. 



At nine years old, three boxes per tree, two hundred and ten boxes 



at forty cents 8 S4 00 



Expense for two years M 00 



Net per acre 8 54(00 



Or for each year per acre 27^00 



