Table 2. Cost per acre^ for establishing and growing apple orchards in Massachusetts 

 for the first three growing seasons, 1973—1975. 



Trees/A 



Cost of 



preparing and 



planting site 



Total 

 cost 



109 

 192 

 200 

 389 



$ 805 

 1082 

 1151 

 1895 



$1382 

 1744 

 1805 

 2822 



-Excludes only cost of land and interest on investment m land. 



Table 3. Projected cost to remove an existing orchard, replant and manage for the first four growing seasons.^'^ 



Trees/A 



1976-79 



Planting and growing years 

 1977-80 1978-81 1978-82 



75 

 100 

 125 

 150 

 175 

 200 

 225 

 250 

 275 

 300 

 325 

 350 

 375 

 400 

 425 

 450 

 475 

 500 



$1673 

 2032 

 2252 

 2421 

 2556 

 2641 

 2869 

 3083 

 3267 

 3462 

 3661 

 3846 

 4002 

 4179 

 4299 

 4396 

 4524 

 4565 



$1791 

 2174 

 2410 

 2590 

 2735 

 2826 

 3069 

 3298 

 3495 

 3705 

 3917 

 3636 

 4285 

 4472 

 4601 

 4704 

 4841 

 4884 



E1919 

 2326 

 2579 

 2771 

 2927 

 3024 

 3283 

 3527 

 3739 

 3965 

 4191 

 4401 

 4586 

 4784 

 4924 

 5034 

 5179 

 5226 



$2050 

 2488 

 2758 

 2965 

 3132 

 3236 

 3512 

 3773 

 4000 

 4242 

 4485 

 4709 

 4908 

 5118 

 5269 

 5387 

 5542 

 5591 



Assuming annual inflation of 7%. 

 ^Excludes only cost of land and interest on investment in land. 



leveling, and stone removal. Similar procedures were fol- 

 lowed in the other plantings except the medium density 

 (200 trees/A) required filling in low areas with stone and soil 

 and the high density planting was tile-drained. 



Open fields can be less costly to plant to orchards because 

 of the high labor requirements of removing an old existing 

 orchard (Table 1). However, it would not be unusual today 

 to spend $1 000 per acre to clear and prepare a stony, wooded 

 area for planting. 



The number of trees and the need of posts for the high 

 density planting had a very significant influence on the cost 

 of establishing the orchards (Table 1). Establishment costs 



increased with tree density but data from other areas'''^ indi- 

 cate that compact trees in medium and high density plantings 

 in comparison to low density plantings, if properly matched 

 in regard to spacing, scion/rootstock combination, and soil, 

 will give a quicker return of the investment. 



^Funt, R.C. 1975. "High Returns for Higher Density," 

 American Fruit Grower 95 (No. 12): 22-23. 



"* Norton, R.L. 1975. "Rootstocks: Promises and Prob- 

 lems-Practical Aspects," N.J. State l-lorticultural News. 

 56 (No. 2):10-12, 16, 18-19, 24-25. 



