167 



associations, having the same conception of a No. 1 apple. 



Individual, community and market demands will modify 

 the pack in some minor details. To force a law requiring a 

 uniform pack and grade, without first a campaign of educa- 

 tion, would endanger the whole proposition. 



For these reasons I would lay the foundation on cost of 

 production that it may stimulate the producers to steps for 

 self protection along the line of a grading, packing and 

 branding law. No step should be taken which directly or 

 indirectly will injure the industry. For a series of years I 

 have found the items of expense in earing for old trees to be 

 — pruning, fertilizing (12 lbs. iy^-lOAY^ per tree), spraying, 

 (3 times), protecting from borers, and cutting the grass for 

 a mulch, 531/2 cents per tree yearly ; interest on a valua- 

 tion of $10 per tree, 60 cents, taxes per tree (2 per cent on 

 $100 an acre) 25 cents, interest on machinery, tools, etc., 6 

 cents, depreciation of trees, (2 per cent) 20 cents, deprecia- 

 tion on machinery (2 per cent) 5 cents, total $1,491/4 per 

 tree. During these years the yield has averaged one barrel 

 of No. 1 apples, one-eighth No. 2 and the culls and drops. 



The cost of picking has been 20 cents, hauling barrels to 

 orchard .02, barrels .37, hauling to storage .02, storage 30 

 days .05, packing .18, hauling to cars .05, (one-half mile), 

 79 cents per barrel, or a total cost of $2.12. Distance from 

 station and possibility of marketing drops and culls will 

 change these totals, as certainly will average yield, but the 

 fact remains that our apples cost us $2.00 per barrel, ready 

 for shipment, upon the basis of good business, figuring the 

 overhead charges, as we must. Some trees far exceed this 

 yieM but one must figure every bearing tree and the lean 

 years as well as fat. All labor is figured at $2.00 per day 

 for man and $1.00 for horse. Modify these figures to meet 

 individual conditions, yet the fact remains that appreciation 

 of cost forces the study of questions promising a better 

 price and so this legislation becomes the logical step. Thank- 

 ful are we that the day has gone for the orchard to be count- 

 ed a get-rieh-quick-scheme, but its evil effects will long be 



