Cost of Growing Potatoes 293 



"Much depends on the weather conditions as to the 

 cost of applying bordeaux mixture, paris green, cost of 

 cultivation, labor and general net results. 



"The above estimates may be regarded the average 

 for a series of years." 



Place — Maine. 



Authority — Hurd, Prof. W. D., formerly dean of the 

 College of Agriculture, University of Maine. 



From records for several years on the college farm at 

 Orono, the cost of growing a ten-acre field of potatoes is 

 about as follows : man and team labor are reckoned at 

 $3.50 per day, extra men at $1.50 per day. 



Plowing at $2 per acre $20.00 



HarroAS-ing five times, $3.50 per acre 17.50 



Fertilizer (home mixture) $30 a ton 225.00 



Seed, 130 bushels, 75 cents a bushel 97.50 



Disinfecting seed (labor and material) 3.00 



Cutting seed (by hand) at 6 cents per bushel . . . 7.80 



Planting, team and two men three days, $5 . . . . 15.00 



Harrowing or weeding before crop is up, four times . 10.50 



Cultivating crop eight times at $3.50 28.00 



Spraying six times ($1 per acre each application) . . 60.00 



Hand hoeing and pulling weeds once (if necessary) . 15.00 

 Digging and hauling to storehouse or station at $15 



per acre 150.00 



Rent of land (5 per cent on $50 per acre value), 10 



acres , 25.00 



Depreciation of implements (plows, harrows, planter, 



sprayer, digger, etc.), value $250 estimated at 10 per 



cent 25.00 



$699.30 



Value of crop, 225 bushels to acre (2250 bushels at 50 



cents) $125.00 



Value per acre 112.50 



Cost of growing per acre 69.93 



Net profit per acre 42.57 



