DOES ORDINARY CONTRACT FUMIGATION PAY? 177 



far the most economical for the grower. Under this arrangement the chances 

 of cutting either the dosages or time of treatment may be practically elimi- 

 nated. The grower hnys his own chemicals, and gives the fumigator so 

 much per tree for doing the work. In this case the contract should always 

 provide that the tents be left over the trees at least one huiir. Thus the grower, 

 by keeping account of the materials used, and by comparisons with the number 

 of his trees, the number of tents and men in the outfit, and the time of 

 treatment, may judge exactly as to the efficiency of the service he is getting 



Outfit A, working as indicated above, after allowing for the cost of 

 supplies and labor, earned approximately $2.90 for every working hour. This 

 outfit used unmarked tents. 



In both outfits B and C, marked tents were used, and this necessitated 

 greater care and time, B netting Init $1.38 per hour, and C $1.32. Figuring 

 out the total cost to the grower on ten acres in each case, we have: 



Orchard No. 1, where A worked, cost the grower $158.00 



Orchard No. 2, where B worked, cost the grower 187.86 



Orchard No. 3, where C worked, cost the grower 206.92 



in each instance the amount spent for labor was practically the same for 

 ten acres, so that the extra cost of B and C went for materials rather than 

 to swell the profits of the fumigator. Another striking fact to note from 

 these figures is that where the profit was greater to the fumigator in outfit 

 A, the cost to the grower was less than in the other cases where the chemicals 

 were carefully measured. It seems almost certain that Outfit A was cutting 

 not only the time but the dosage, both acts very prejudicial to the interests 

 of the grower. 



The system of marking tents and accurately measuring the dosage cer- 

 tainly does not lessen the cost to the grower, but it insures honest fumig^ation, 

 and a guagiug of the dosage that icill kill the scale! 



It is an exceedingly interesting and important matter now, to compare 

 these figures, picked up at random in actual practice here in Los Angeles 

 county, with the figures covering the work of fumigating on one of the largest 

 and most successful ranches in Southern California, where it is to be supposed 

 that the work would be done as near actual cost as would be possible. At the 

 same time, on this ranch, they fumigate for a purpose, and would not 

 fumigate at all were it not for their confident belief in being able to do 

 effective work. Three grades of dosage were used, gauged to kill red and 

 yellow scale, as well as black, and the cost in each case figures out as follows : 



For ten acres containing 960 trees, 14 years old 



It costs at 7y2 ozs. to the tree $259.20 



at 8 ozs. to the tree 273.98 



at 10 ozs. to the tree 306.80 



This is more than is usually jiaid in Los Angeles county for fumigation, 

 and here we must at the same time pay the necessary margin of profit to 

 the contractor. 



