JS2 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICrLTURE 



how to advise, involves so many ques- 

 tions that it is a difficult undertaking. 

 Under the heading of Districts^ this sec- 

 tion, the lists of fruits recommended 

 by the American Pomological Society are 

 given, and while none will agree with 

 them on every point, when all things are 

 considered it is the best list published 

 and perhaps the best that can, with 

 present information, be adopted. 



Cost of Prodnctioii and Talne of Good 

 Varieties 



The selection of good varieties, and the 

 production of the best qualities of what- 

 ever varieties are chosen, cannot be over- 

 estimated in a desire for large net 

 profits. It costs almost as much to grow 

 poor varieties and poor grades as it does 

 to grow the best, and the results are 

 vastly different. Suppose, when the or- 

 chard comes into bearing, the land it 

 occupies is valued at $1,000 per acre. In- 

 terest on this amount at 7 per cent is 

 $70 per acre, on 10 acres, $700. We will 

 suppose the average cost of irrigating 

 water, in sections where irrigation is 

 practiced, to be $1.50 per acre, or for 

 10 acres, $15. We will estimate the cost 

 of food for team, depreciation of the 

 value of team, wear and tear of ma- 

 chinery, harness, etc., at $25 per acre, 

 for 10 acres, $250. This makes a total 

 p^r acre of $96.50, or for 10 acres, 

 $965. Under fair treatment, this or- 

 chard should yield 650 boxes per acre, 

 or 6,500 boxes. This estimate is high 

 except in case of large trees. The cost 

 as thus far estimated, will be approxi- 

 mately 14 cents ($0.14) per box. Now. 

 suppose we add the cost of spraying, la- 

 bor, irrigating, picking, assorting, pack- 

 ing, box-materials, boxing and hauling to 

 market. According to a consensus of 

 opinion gathered from a wide range of 

 inquiries, we will place these expenses 

 at 47 cents ($0.47) per box. This, added 

 to the 16 cents per box, which includes 

 interest on land, water, taxes, etc., places 

 the cost of producing a box of apples at 

 61 cents ($0.61). Generally, the inter- 

 est on land, taxes and labor of the 

 owner are not counted, because it is ar- 

 gued they furnish the owner a home, a 

 profitable place to work, and steady em- 



ployment. We estimate it here, however, 

 because in our purpose of showing the 

 difference between the growing of good 

 or poor varieties, it occupies a logical 

 place, and the estimate would not be com- 

 plete without it. See tables on cost of 

 producing apples for further estimates. 



Suppose, then, an orchardist grows va- 

 rieties of apples that sell at $1.00 per 

 box; he has a net profit of 39 cents per 

 box, or $2,535 on ten acres of 6,500 boxes. 

 He has had interest on the money in- 

 vested, has had pay for his labor, a place 

 to live and work and $2,405. This, of 

 course, would yield him an income suf- 

 ficient to enable him to live, to avoid 

 the trouble of moving, paying rent, and 

 to pay him for responsibility, care, long 

 hours of labor which he often performs, 

 and unforeseen emergencies. All these 

 are important items, and are as much as 

 many expect, because many come up to 

 the close of life with nothing saved. 

 Suppose, however, that instead of grow- 

 ing varieties or grades that sell at $1.00 

 per box, he grows fruit that will sell at 

 $1.50 per box: he has in addition to the 

 estimates we have already made, 50 cents 

 per box net profit, or on one acre $325: 

 on 10 acres, $3,250. This, added to the 

 profits of $2,535. already obtained under 

 the system that produced apples at $1.00 

 per box, equals on ten acres $5,785. The 

 difference between the two profits of 

 $2,535 and of $5,785, is a difference of 

 choice of varieties, and proper manage- 

 ment. 



We would not overlook the emphasis 

 upon "iiroper management," because even 

 if the best varieties are selected, and 

 they are not properly adapted to soil 

 conditions, to frost conditions, sprayed, 

 pruned or thinned, they may result in 

 disappointment. If not sprayed for scale, 

 or codling moth. 90 per cent of the crop 

 may be unmarketable. If not properly 

 thinned, it may be of good quality: but 

 be too small to bring high prices on the 

 market. We may have as many boxes 

 of unthinned small fruit as we would of 

 thinned well-developed fruit: but our 

 small fruit will bring a small price, while 

 our well developed fruit will bring a good 

 lirice. 



