Tools to handle virus-free superior propagative material are 

 available. UTiat is needed is an industry-wide cooperative program 

 establishing checks and controls backed up by regulation and in- 

 spection measures to insure quality of product from the originator 

 to the purchaser with proper certification and identification of 

 tree material. It should be handled by industry so as to keep it 

 flexible and receptive to changes as they are needed, particularly 

 with the patented scion and new stock selections, since these must 

 be controlled by the patent holder. We have the expertise and the 

 knowhow, all we need is the initiation of a system. 



In conclusion, as one old career orchardist was heard to say, 

 "It takes a lot of Saturday nights without a paycheck before a 

 newly planted orchard starts to show a profit." The first and most 

 important aspect of this orcharding business is what you put into 

 that hole in the ground as the basic investment to live with, grow 

 with and build upon. 



*************** 



WHEN SHOULD AN EXISTING ORCHARD BE REPLACED 



Robert L. Cristensen 

 Department of Food and Resource Economics 



One of the questions confronting an apple producer is that 

 of the optimal replacement period. Should the old orchard (or 

 some portion with trees of the same age) be torn out and replaced 

 now or at some time in the future? This question has become in- 

 creasingly important because of the trend to compact trees and 

 higher density plantings. 



A difficulty, of course, relates to the fact that a new 

 planting takes several years to attain production and thus a di- 

 rect comparison of net income from the old orchard as compared to 

 the new orchard is not possible. Perrin and Proctor (1Q74) have 

 outlined a procedure to be used in making such a decision which 

 takes into account net income flows over the life of the orchard. ^ 



R.K. Perrin and E.A. Proctor, "The Economics of Replacing Apple 

 Trees - A Guide for Producer Decision Making", Economics Informa- 

 tion Report No. 36, Department of Economics, North Carolina State 

 University at Raleigh, February, 1974. 



