EXPENSES AND PROFITS. 253 



a large average yield per acre, it gives the cost of the first 

 crop as a little over 25c per lb., exclusive of the cost of build- 

 ing kiln and storehouse. Deducting the price of poles, roots 

 and tools, preparation and planting of yard, and adding 

 $5 for the breakage of poles and wear of tools, we find the 

 cost for the following year to be $76. 85, or a trifle over 7^c per 

 lb. When, however, we add $500 for building a kiln and store- 

 house, to tLe other expenses, and depreciation, interest, etc., 

 on same the actual cost is far above 7 1 /&c. 



Preparing ground for planting $3.00 



Sets for planting 750 hills 7.50 



1,500 hop poles, lOc each 150.00 



Tools, including two hop boxes 12.00 



Setting poles, 20c per 100 3.00 



Grubbing, one day's work 2.00 



Plowing and cultivating twice each 6.00 



Hoeing twice, two days' work 4.00 



Tying three t imes 3.00 



Picking 77 boxes, 30c per box 23.10 



Boarding and lodging pickers 12.00 



Drying hops 5.00 



Baling 10 bales, 50 yds. sacking and labor 7.50 



Interest on land, valued at $150 per acre 7.50 



Insurance $2, taxes 75c, fertilizers $6 8.75 



Total cost $254.35 



ANOTHER OTSEGO STATEMENT (by James Ferris) The 

 largest grower in the county failed, though his hops 

 sold at an average of 20c; another whose real estate was free 

 of mortgage in 1893 failed in '97. Hemlock poles 18 to 25 ft. 

 long cost ll%c, delivered ready for setting, 851 per acre, one 

 to each hill 7x7 ft, or $97.86; with proper care, they last 15 

 years, annual loss, $6.52, interest at 6 per cent, $5.87, total 

 yearly cost of poles $12.39. It is easy to determine cost of 

 setting a yard and first year's cultivation. Potatoes or corn, 

 potatoes preferably, are planted with hops the first year, 

 occupying three-quarters of the ground. As 120 bu. of pota- 

 toes to an acre is an average crop, the hops would displace 

 just 30 bu. of potatoes per acre, which, at an average price 

 of 40c per bu., would have been worth $12. But the seed for 

 hops usually costs more, and they receive better care than 

 potatoes. Such additional cost is about $2 per acre. The 

 average period which a hop yard will last and be produc- 

 tively profitable is about six years. So that the average cost 

 of planting yards to displace those running out would be 

 $2.33 per acre per annum on all hop land harvested. During 

 depressed times, only one shovelful of barnyard manure 

 is placed in each hill in the autumn, but when prices are 

 good, more is used about eight two-horse loads are used per 

 acre, worth $8, and it costs $2 to apply. When pickers are 

 plenty, they can usually be hired to pick and board them- 

 selves for 40c per box at present (1898), but in this locality 

 not half enough pickers can be hired to pick and board 

 themselves. The grower is obliged to board them, and go 



