34 



BULLETIN 518, U. S. DEPABTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



taken down and hauled in in the fall. On account of the variation 

 in the methods of propping and the small number of orchardists who 

 followed any one method, no segregation in time is made, the aver- 

 age projDping time being calculated without regard to the practice 

 followed. 



The average amount of labor for propping, all records considered, 

 is 14.23 man-hours and 13.56 horse-hours per acre, at an annual cost 

 of $5,65 per acre, $0.08 per tree, and $0.0255 per box. 



The average cost per acre on these farms is almost exactly the same 

 for each of the three operations of pruning, thinning, and propping. 

 (See Table XII.) 



Fig. 14. — Trees propped to prevent breaking. This orchard is also heavily thinned 

 every year. The varieties are Newtown and Esopus, in full bearing. 



Table XII. — CovipariHon of priming, thinning, and propping costs {oJ/ farms). 





Operation. 





Number 

 of or- 

 chards. 



Cost. 





Per acre. 



Per tree. 



Per box. 



Pruning 



54 

 54 



54 



$5.48 

 5. 54 

 5.65 



$0.08 

 .08 

 .08 



$0. 0247 





.0250 



ProDDinir 



.0255 











SPRAYING. 











Spraying the orchards for diseases and insect pests is a universal 

 l^ractice in the valley, representing considerable labor and cash out- 



