A few, however, report that apples are hauled by wagon to nearby markets. 

 Wagons are used almost entirely in the western part of the state where the 

 hills sometimes render hauling by truck a difficult matter. 



The average haul for all vehicles is about 15^/^ miles, while the most common 

 haul is less than 10 miles. The average haul by wagon is about 4 miles at 

 an average cost of $.0169 for hauling one bushel one mile. The average haul 

 by truck is 20 miles, at an average cost of $.0092 a mile for each bushel 

 hauled. 



The mileage cost per bushel hauled by truck less than 10 miles is $.0136. 

 nearly Yi cent less than by wagon. 



For distances varying from 10 to 24 miles, the trucking cost per bushel 

 averages $.009 per mile, while for distances of 25 to 43 miles (the greatest 

 reported) the average cost is $.0053 per bushel per mile. 



The most common cost for trucks lies between 1/2 cent and 1 cent per mile 

 for a bushel, while the most common cost for wagons lies between 1 cent and 

 iy2 cents. One-fifth of the trucks carry a bushel a mile for less than % cent, 

 while 8^/^ per cent report cost exceeding 1^/2 cents a mile for each bushel 

 hauled. The ^highest cost reported was slightly more than 5^2 cents, which 

 appears in both truck and wagon costs. The lowest cost was reported for a 

 truck hauling a distance of 30 miles for 15 cents a barrel, $.0016 a bushel 

 per mile. The most common length of haul by tnick was 30 miles at an 

 average cost of $.0058 per bushel per mile. The average cost for all vehicles 

 is practically one cent a mile for each bushel handled. 



Transportation costs for trucks amounting to nearly the same figure are 

 reported from the eastern and western parts of the state. Few wagons are 

 used in the eastern section, except for hauling fi'om the orchard to the pack- 

 ing shed. 

 Cider Apples. 



Cider apples included culls and apples from wild trees unfit for other use. 

 These were sold mainly at local cider mills, although some few growers make 

 and sell their own cider. Cider apples brought an average price of about 17 

 cents a bushel, but they are sold mostly by the hundredweight. 

 Prices and Margins. 



Following is a comparison of the i3rices and margins over costs of mar- 

 keting received for the various grades by dift'erent methods of sale. The three 

 methods most commonly employed among the growers visited are here pre- 

 sented, since the great part of the apples reported were sold by these methods. 



It is notable that in every case sales to country buyers showed the lowest 

 prices and lowest margins over costs of marketing. Sales of Fancy apples 

 to retailers brought the highest margins over costs of marketing. Sales of 

 A's on commission brought the highest price for this grade, and sales on com- 

 mission averaged the highest prices and the highest margins. 



The true ungraded apples brought the highest prices for this grade when 

 sold on commission, but a small quantity of inferior ungraded sold to a re- 

 tailer brought the highest margin over costs for this grade. This was due to 

 the fact that the retailer supplied the container and hauled the apples from 

 the farm, making the actual expenditures of the grower very small. However, 

 the price received was not as high as for those of the same grade sold on 

 commission. Ungraded apples returned lower prices and margins over costs 

 of marketing by all methods of sale than did graded fruit. 



The influence of low grades of a product upon the prices received for the 

 higher grades is difficult to calculate, but it is the opinion of many growers 

 and dealers that the low grade apjjles might be kept off the market with profit 

 to the grower. It is doubtful, for example, if the margins over the costs of 

 marketing ungraded apples, when sold to country buyers particularly, cover 

 costs of production. In 1923 it is certain that some growers lost on B grade 

 apples, and others made little or nothing by selling this grade. Some few 

 growers made their low grade apples into eider which was sold at a roadside 

 market. 



