THE MOiNTllLY BULLETIN. 371 



COST OF DEVELOPING A SIXTY-FOUR ACRE OLIVE AND ORANGE 

 ORCHARD NEAR RIO LINDA, CALIFORNIA. 



(In charge of Mr. John Hoefling.) 



The land wliieh is set out to trees is composed of seven blocks, ranging 

 in size i'roui eight to ten acres, with a total of sixty-four acres. The 

 seven individuals who own these small tracts, for the sake of economy, 

 placed Mv. John Hoefling, one of the owners, in charge of the whole 

 proposition, and agreed to liavc the work done in common and to have 

 one irrigating plant centrally located. The water is delivered to each 

 block by underground pipe lines. Expenses are defrayed by each pay- 

 ing a pro rata on all permanent improvements and on all work done 

 on the place. 



The cost of this proposition for the first three years is as follows : 



Cost of land at $22-5 per acre .$14,400 OO 



Labor (total of all farms) .$3,139 00 



Trees (direct from nurserj-) 1,425 50 



Irrigating- plant complete 1,496 50 



Blasting material 412 OO 



Distillate and oil 86 OO 



Total operating cost 6,559 OO 



Total cost of 64 acres including land $20,959 00 



This is an average, at the end of three years, of $327.50 per acre. 



The trees consist chiefly of olives and oranges. Their total number 

 is 4,233, or approximately 66 trees per acre. They were planted as 

 follows : 



Spring of 1914 728 



Spring of 1915 2,420 



Spring of 1916 1,085 



The material for the irrigating plant consists of engine, pump, tank, 

 lumber, cement and approximately 2,000 feet of iron pipe. Labor 

 includes all work in building pumping plant, leveling, blasting, plant- 

 ing, irrigation and cultivation. 



