342 Peach-Growing 



the expense of producing the crop. In the average large 

 orchard, for varieties which fruit heavily and require thorough 

 thinning, one man will thin 20 to 25 trees a day. 



In addition to these annual cost factors in the operation of 

 an orchard, the permanent equipment which must be main- 

 tained is considerable. Arnold enumerates the equipment 

 for a 260-acre orchard so located that the owner must pro- 

 vide living quarters for his crews as follows : 



"The average cost of equipment on several large orchards 

 was found to be, in terms of the area of the farm, about $30 

 per acre. Many are equipped at much less cost. A great 

 saving may be made where companies of large capital con- 

 struct very cheap cottages for summer camps only. Such 

 companies having orchards in different localities of a section 

 may shift their forces from one orchard to another when 

 needed, thus enabling them to economize in labor. In such 

 cases the total equipment need not cost over $15 to $20 

 per acre. 



"On a 260-acre orchard the equipment of 1 boarding 

 house, $900 ; 1 packing house, $900 ; 1 barn, $900 ; sleeping 

 quarters for 40 men, $600; 3 tenant houses, $1200; 3 

 sprayers, $750; 12 horses, $2400; implements and tools, 

 $500 ; 4 wagons, $260 ; total, $8410, or $32.36 per acre. On 

 a 400-acre orchard the equipment w^as 5 tenant houses, $4000 ; 

 10 packing sheds, $400; camp building, $1000; barn with 

 water equipment, $1000; 5 spraying outfits, $1250; 16 

 mules, $3200; 6 wagons, $390; harrows, plows, etc., $500; 

 miscellaneous tools, $150; total, $11,890, or $29.70 per 

 acre." 



The values given in this summary are those which ob- 

 tained in 1913. Some articles of equipment have advanced 

 since these estimates were made. It will be noted that the 



