19171 HORTICULTURE. 841 



The cost of producing apples in western Colorado, S. M. Thomson and 

 G. H. Miller {V. -S'. Dept. At/r. Bnl. 500 {1917}, pp. U, pis. 2, figs. iO).— This is 

 the second of a series of bulletins giving information relative to different meth- 

 ods of orchard management and the cost of apple production in different apple- 

 growing districts (E. S. R., 36, p. 443). The present bulletin reports a detailed 

 study made in 1914-15 of the current cost factors Involved in the maintenance 

 of orchards and the handling of the crop on 125 farms in the fruit region of 

 Mesa, Delta, and Montrose counties, Colo. 



The total cost of producing apples for the 125 farms represented averaged 

 84.4 cts. per box. Labor cost averaged 39.4 cts. per box and $111.88 per acre. 

 Material and fixed costs averaged 45 cts. per box and $127.91 per acre. The 

 average yield for the district was 284 boxes per acre. The trees in the orchards 

 studied averaged 17 years of age and 74 to the acre. The average total invest- 

 ment per acre of apple orchard was $751.56. Jonathan was the leading variety, 

 with Ben Davis, Rome Beauty, Gano, and Winesap following, each of about 

 equal importance. 



With the investigation as a basis the authors make suggestions relative to 

 improvements in orchard management practice. 



The cost of producing apples in Hood River Valley, S. M. Thomson and 

 G. H. Miller (U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 518 (1917), pp. 52, pis. 4. figs, i^).— This is 

 the third bulletin of the above-noted series and comprises a report of a detailed 

 study made in 1915 of the current cost factors involved in the maintenance of 

 orchards and the handling of the crop on 54 farms in the Hood River Valley. 



In this region the total cost of apple production for the 54 bearing orchards 

 averaged $1.02 per box and $222.83 per acre for orchards under clean cultivation 

 and $232.32 per acre under mulch crops. The average cost per box exclusive 

 of interest on orchard-land Investment was 66.4 cts. Net labor costs averaged 

 38.3 cts: per box. Material and fixed costs constituted 62.5 per cent of the total 

 cost. The trees in the orchards studied averaged 12 years of age and 72 trees 

 to the acre. The average total investment per acre of apple orchard was $990.74 ; 

 the average yield, 222 boxes per acre. The Hood River Valley appears to be 

 particularly well adapted to the production of Yellow Newtown and Esopus 

 apples, both of which grow to perfection there. Based on results of this study 

 suggestions are given relative to local problems of orchard management. 



The mulched-basin system of irrigated citrus culture and its bearing on 

 the control of mottle-leaf, L. J. Briggs, C. A. Jensen, and J. W. McLane 

 (U. 8. Dept. Agr. Bui. ^99 (1911), pp. SI, pi. i).— The work carried out by the 

 authors in 1914 (E. S. R., 35, p. 754) showed that one-half of the mottling 

 of orange leaves in about 120 orange groves investigated was associated with 

 a low humus content of the soil. Evidence was secured in this work which 

 indicated that inadequate irrigation might be responsible in part for the 

 development of mottle-leaf. The present paper reports field experiments 

 relating to the irrigation of oranges and the use of organic fertilizers in relation 

 to mottle-leaf. It deals particularly with a new method of citrus culture, the 

 '" mulched-basin system," in which low dikes are thrown up so as to form 

 large shallow irrigation basins near each tree and each basin is heavily 

 mulched with alfalfa hay, bean straw, manure, or some other organic material. 



In the experiments thus far conducted the mulched-basin system conserved 

 soil moisture better than any other system of soil treatment compared with it 

 and none of the basined trees on either light or heavy soils wilted. Under all 

 the other cultural methods employed wilting occurred at some period during 

 the summer on both light and heavy soils. 



The new leaf growth on the basined trees was less mottled than the new 

 leaf growth on the unbasined trees after sufllcient time had elapsed for the 



