46 



N. H. Agricultural Experiment Station [Bulletin 257 



pceoiint of the thorough work done and of the fact that about one- 

 quarter of this was for special work done on a small portion of one 

 orchard. 



At assumed rates for labor, the average cost of tillage was $16.36 per 

 acre. Under present methods of cultivation, it is tliought that $16 

 per acre can be taken as a fair average. Neither the number of trees 

 per acre nor the age of the trees will have any large effect on the cost. 



Table 19 — A comparison of cost of maintaining individual orchards under _ 



cultivation and under sod 'mulch. I 



While these costs represent the pietui-e under present practices, it 

 i.s possible that improved methods of cultivation might lower the cost 

 considerably. But because many orchard sites have rough topography 

 and rocky soil, tractors and special tools would not be practical and 

 tillage in New England must remain high. 



It is interesting to note here that the cultivation of very young or- 

 chards is expensive when considering the total weight of growth ex- 



