Marcli. 1934] Studies in Economics of Apple Orcharding 13 



On the smaller farms, where it was difficult for the operator to super- 

 vise both harvesting and packing, the usual practice was to use the whole 

 crew in picking when harvest was most timely and then to grade and pack 

 between variety harvests or whenever weather conditions were unfavor- 

 able. 



The time spent on all field crops on the 12 farms is shown in Figure 3 

 under four divisions, namely: (1) apples prior to harvest, (2) harvesting 

 apples, (3) grading, packing, and marketing apples, (4) other crops. On 

 Farms 5, 6 and 8, the functions after harvest, except for certain early 

 varieties, were definitely left to other agencies each year. On Farm 3 

 this plan was followed one season. On Farm 3 in other seasons, and on 

 Farms 2, 7, 9 and 10, a very highly graded product was put up. On the 

 remaining farms more simple grading and packing was practiced. This 

 diversity does not indicate that the practice on some farms was right and 

 on others wrong. The extent to which the farmer should proceed in ren- 

 dering services beyond the harvesting of apples is an individual problem. 

 The added services of grading, packing, storing, transporting to market 

 and even selling greatly change the total labor requirement and also the 

 seasonal distribution. It is a problem which must be solved by each in- 

 dividual after giving due consideration to the need for constant gainful 

 employment, other crops and alternate possibilities for employment, the 

 variety and quality of apples produced, opportunities for marketing, 

 special abilities of the operator, facilities and equipment on the farm, and 

 possibly other factors. 



The annual distribution of labor on apples by ten-day periods for five 

 typical farms is shown in Figures 4 and 5. The peak of labor demand in 

 every case comes at the harvest period. This harvesting peak was in the 

 last week of September in every case except Farm 1. 



Although the labor prior to harvest is spread over eight months or 

 even more, the total requirement is generally no greater than that needed 

 for harvesting. (See Fig. 3.) On Farm 8 between three and four times 

 as much labor was required to harvest as to grow the crop. In no case 

 was the harvest labor lower than about 60 per cent of that used prior to 

 harvest. On the average for all farms harvest labor exceeded that used in 

 growing by a very small margin. Depending on varieties the harvest may 

 begin in the last days of August and continue until late October, a maxi- 

 mum period of about two months. 



Fortunately, there is usually a good deal of suitable labor available at 

 that date. It is advantageous, nevertheless, to provide fairly steady em- 

 ployment in order to hold the crew together for the season or even to 

 maintain a nucleus of the harvest organization from year to year. Steady 

 employment will tend to hold the services of experienced, skillful, con- 

 scientious pickers, and men who can be trusted to handle the fruit with 

 care from tree to packing house. 



For greatest efficiency in harvesting, the planting should be divided be- 

 tween a reasonable number of varieties which ripen successively. The 

 leading variety in New Hampshire, the Baldwin, may generally be picked 

 over a period of about two weeks beginning as a rule about October 10. 

 The Mcintosh as growai here has a picking season of not to exceed ten 

 days, usually in late September. Farther south the picking period is even 



