22 THE KADOTA FIG 



The saving in weight by hand-picking eliminating other losses now sus- 

 tained, will meet additional cost of preparation, and improvement of finished 

 product will naturally bring sufficiently better prices to meet all expenses, 

 and with organization will follow the elimination of one or more middlemen 

 between producer and consumer, and lessened cost to consumer will be at- 

 tended with increased consumption. The world must look to California 

 alone for this betterment in figs, and from the Forkner gardens may we expect 

 these changes to be inaugurated, where knowledge, modern methods, or- 

 ganization and money are incorporated and aided by science and skill. 



Returns per acre to date 



As my orchard was planted in March, 1913, it is but six and a hall 

 years of age at the present writing. It is on heavy land and has had good 

 care. As I chanced to be a pioneer in the growing of this fig, I could obtain 

 no advice on its habits and no man could aid me. Methods formerly used 

 were considered practical and proper, and while debating planting methods 

 one man of experience said: "Oh, a fig is a fig; they're all alike." 



Right there my mistakes and troubles started and I am paying the bills 

 now and will for years to come pay for my ignorance in my older orchard. 

 Fortunately I can save to all others now labor, years and money. What I 

 have written and spoken in the past few years has been the results obtained 

 from actual experience, some of it sad and very expensive. 



As a result of my mistakes the financial returns herewith presented from 

 my orchard are necessarily less than I could expect to obtain now under 

 similar conditions, now that our knowledge of this fig has vastly broadened. 

 I planted my orchard 36 x 36 or 34 trees per acre instead of 25 x 25 or 

 69 trees per acre. In 1915 I grossed about $20 per acre or 60 cents per 

 tree. In 1916 I "netted" $74.00 per acre or about $2.00 per tree. In 

 1917 I grossed $125.00 per acre or $3.70 per tree, and it rained for 

 several weeks, making picking in my adobe land impossible. Losses were 

 considerable. 



In 1918 I grossed $198.00 per acre of 2754 pounds, or 

 $5.82 per tree of 81 pounds, and hot winds in June caused a loss, and the 

 continued rains in the autumn made picking impossible for over three weeks. 

 Our 1919 crop in June netted 2125 pounds per acre or $1 70.00, which was 

 $5.00 per tree. Three blazing hot weeks in July with temperature ranging 

 from 100 to 118 in the shade set a new heat record for our section and all 

 figs and fruits suffered. Our season's record was cut down 50 r / f earlier esti- 

 mates and our orchard grossed us $13.10 per tree. Earlier estimates were 

 $25.00 per tree. 



The above prices were obtained while we were experimenting in growing, 

 pruning and marketing. All that is now saved the grower of the future, and 

 had our orchard been planted at the now approved distances of 25 x 25 or 

 69 trees per acre, even under the handicaps we were compelled to overcome 

 the results should have stood something like this: 



Third summer, $41.40 per acre. 



Fourth summer, $138.00 per acre. 



Fifth summer, $255.00 per acre. 



