2 BULLETIN" 29, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



A great waste of resources has been sustained in gaining this experi- 

 ence. One large orchard company alone estimated its losses during 

 the past 21 years, due to inexperience and lack of knowledge of peach 

 growing in this section, at SI 00,000. The loss for the same reason 

 for more than a century to small farmers carrying on the industry can 

 hardly be estimated. This loss has been due (1) to a lack of knowledge 

 of the control of fungous diseases and insect pests; (2) to a lack of 

 knowledge of the natural and economic advantages necessary in 

 selecting the orchard site, such as soil and weather conditions, ena- 

 bling one to avoid expensive methods of control; and (3) to inex- 

 perience in methods of management. 



At the present time there is great interest in orchard enterprises, 

 and many seem to be led to invest their savings in them with no 

 knowledge whatever of the factors which must inevitably determine 

 the success of such enterprises. Such may have an opportunity to 

 profit by the principles worked out by past experience. 



The fact is emphasized in this bulletin that the specific operations 

 described in some detail are meant to explain the organization of 

 the fruit farm and to determine costs and that they are not pre- 

 sented to give information regarding the technical operations of fruit 

 production. 



SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND METHOD OF INVESTIGATION. 



The facts and conclusions stated herein have been worked out from 

 data obtained in a study of the history of orchards which have 

 survived during the past 10 or 20 years and on several of which 

 accurate financial records have been kept. These orchards are well 

 distributed over the area described and are located on various soil 

 types, mostly confined, however, to the red soils and "chert" soils. 

 Some of these orchards have yielded large profits to the owners; 

 some have probably not yet paid expenses after 8 or 10 years. 



Besides analyzing the financial records of these orchards, each one 

 has been studied with reference to its location and to the various 

 operations performed which are necessary to its maintenance and 

 profit. Many of them have been visited at intervals during the past 

 two years in order to become acquainted with the managers and to 

 see the actual work as it was being carried on. This has been done 

 to determine the causes of the large variation in the costs of operating 

 expenses and to determine the limiting factors in the yield and quality 

 of peaches, probably the most important facts from the standpoint 

 of profit. 



A careful field study has been made of the soil, topography, and 

 climatic conditions of this section, and the official data on these 

 subjects have been analyzed and correlated with the field study. 



