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PROFITS ON NEW YORK COST-ACCOUNT FARMS 



William J. Lord 

 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 



Data presented by Del Kearl, Agricultural Economics Department, 

 Cornell University, in the November, 1964^, issue of the New York State 

 Horticultural Society News-Letter, show that in general, fruit enter- 

 prises have been more profitable than the crops and livestock enter- 

 prises . 



With the exception of a few years such as 1959, apple growing has 

 been profitable and returned well over a dollar, for each dollar invested 

 (Table 1). 



Table 1. 



RETURN PER DOLLAR OF COST FOR TREE FRUIT 

 Cost-Account Farms in New York 



Period 



Apples Peaches Pears 



Sweet 



Cherries 



Sour 



$0.96 



1.05 

 1.65 

 1.11 



1.45 

 2.07 



1.88 

 1.93 

 2.59 

 3.04 



1 



$1.77 



1.34 

 1.85 

 1.79 

 1.69 



$1.68** 



1.79 

 1.60 

 2.10 



1.35 



$1.03 



1.04 

 1.10 

 1.28 

 0.96 



*1920-23 ^1930-33 



**Before 1954 the cherries enterprise costs and returns were not kept 

 separate . 



It can be noted in the data presented by Del Kearl, that peaches, 

 profitable in the thirties and forties, have returned less than cost 

 since 1950. Pears, the other tree fruit of particular interest to Mass 

 achusetts growers have been very profitable in New York State in most 

 years . 



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