Cost of Production, Yields, Profits 215 



In 1893 and 1894 the New Jersey Experiment Station 

 made a statistical survey of the strawberry industry of 

 that state ; 529 growers reported in 1893, and 934 in 1894. 

 The range of yield was from 250 quarts to 10,752 quarts 

 an acre ; the average yield for the two years was 2700 

 quarts. ''The average value for 1893, after deducting 

 cost of cultivation, manuring and mulching, was 

 $176.82, or 6.4 ^ per quart, based on the average yield 

 reported for that year (2765 quarts). The average re- 

 turns for 1894 were $144.19 an acre, or 5.5^ per quart. 

 These figures are fairly indicative, we believe, of the cash 

 side of the strawberry crop." In 1904, E. H. Rudderow, 

 Moorestown, New Jersey, showed that it cost him 4J cents 

 to produce a quart of strawberries.^ The average net 

 price to the growers of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, 

 Virginia and North CaroHna now is about seven cents a 

 quart. The business is conducted at a loss if the price falls 

 below five cents a quart. 



In 1907 Charles B. Welch of Michigan made the fol- 

 lowing estimate : 



Rent of land $ 7.00 



Taxes 1.80 



Plowing 2.00 



Harrowing 1.00 



Marking out .15 



Setting, four days 6.00 



Plants and digging 1.50 



Cultivating 7 times 3.00 



Hoeing, cutting runners and blossoms . 8.00 



500 pounds fertilizer 6.00 



Sowing one bushel oats and cultivating in 1.20 



200 16-quart crates, at 12ff 24.00 



Picking 40.00 



Packing and hauling 10.00 



$111.65 

 » Rept. N. J. Hort. Soc, 1904, p. 51. 



