AN ECONOMIC STUDY OF THE PRODUCTION OF CANNING CROPS 45 

 TABLE 41 (continued) 



The cost of plants, fertilizer, and manure made up about one-fourth of 

 the total cost; the cost of human labor about two-fifths; and the charge 

 for the use of land about one-twelfth. Nearly two-thirds of the cost was 

 incurred previous to harvesting. With a smaller yield the growing cost 

 would represent a larger proportion of the total cost, as the harvesting 

 cost would be lower. 



Estimating average costs 



The average yield was 8.7 tons per acre. This is higher than the average 

 yield on these farms over a period of years. The most important single 

 factor affecting tomato yields is the weather. The season of 1920 was 

 favorable for tomato production. The cool, dry weather during the early 

 part of the season made strong, healthy plants on which the tomatoes 

 set heavily, while the warm weather during the late summer and early 

 fall was very favorable for ripening the crop. The growing season was 

 long. The first killing frost thruout most of the tomato belt did not 

 come until well into November, which allowed all the tomatoes to 

 ripen. 



The farmers were asked to estimate what they considered an average 

 yield of tomatoes on their farms would be if they were given the same care 

 as in 1920. The answers indicated that an average yield on these farms 

 would be about 7.8 tons per acre. This is a somewhat higher yield than 

 would be indicated by the tons of tomatoes received at some of the factories 

 for the past few years. The estimated cost of producing one tgn of toma- 



