May, 1931] Studies in Economics of Apple Orcharding 51 



SETTING TREES AND GRAFTING 



In the three years, a total of 750 hours of mau labor was used in 

 setting, resetting or grafting trees. The resetting and grafting trees 

 to replace damaged or dead trees was more or less of a miscellaneous 

 job. A few orehardists made replacements, and one orchardist has 

 each year done some grafting to work over trees not true to name. 

 He spent in the three years 89 hours of man labor in correcting the 

 mistake of some nurseryman. This is, of course, only a small part 

 of the loss because production has been delayed. Since these trees 

 are scattered through an orchard, we have no record on which to base 

 an accurate estimate of the expense per tree of changing over to an- 

 other variety. 



Small new blocks were set out on four different farms in the three 

 years : a total of 1,533 trees with 766 hours of man labor. 



PROTECTION 



Time on protecting orchards from mice and borers and similar pests 

 accounted for 48 hours per 1,000 mature tree units and was highest 

 on farms with a large proportion of trees under 15 years of age. Since 

 very little time was consumed and since the work was not definite as 

 to time, it is not a very important operation as regards labor require- 

 ment ; but from the viewpoint of necessity in the program of orchard 

 management, it is of great importance. 



MISCELLANEOUS 



There was a small amount of miscellaneous work in some orchards 

 such as hauling off wormy apples, inspecting for partridge and deer 

 damage or examining the growing fruit. In the three years, 1,662 

 hours of miscellaneous work on orchards before harvest were reported. 

 This is approximately 5 per cent, of total time prior to harvest. On 

 Orchards 4 and 6, which had the largest amount of miscellaneous work, 

 slack time was used in cutting brush and leveling up parts of the 

 orchards. In these instances, the time might have been charged to 

 real estate improvement; but since the work would have no value ex- 

 cept for orcharding, it was included under miscellaneous. On other 

 farms, the time on miscellaneous work was very unimportant. 



TOTAL COSTS PRIOR TO HARVEST 



Man Hours 



For all farms an average of 2,215 hours per 1,000 mature tree units 

 was required prior to harvest (Table 20). The time requirement on 

 individual farms varied greatly. Farms 1, 2, 4 and 12 used over 3,000 

 man hours; Farms 3, 5 and 9 between 2,000 and 3,000 man hours; 

 Farms 6, 7 and 10 between 1,000 and 2,000 hours ; and Farms 8 and 11 

 less than 1,000 hours per 1,000 mature tree units. 



In general, the farms with high labor requirements had an inten- 

 sive, and those with low labor requirements an extensive system. The 

 total labor used per 1,000 mature tree units is to a considerable extent a 

 measure of the degree of intensification. There are not sufficient data 

 in three years to state decisively which is the more profitable system 



