UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 BULLETIN No. 636 



OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 

 Contribution from the Office of Farm Management, W. J. SPILLMAN, Chief 

 (In cooperation with the Office of Horticultural and Pomological Investigations) 



Washington, D. C. 



May 10, 1918 



COST OF PRODUCTION OF APPLES 

 IN THE PAYETTE VALLEY, IDAHO 



A DETAILED STUDY OF THE CURRENT COST FACTORS 

 INVOLVED IN THE MAINTENANCE OF ORCHARDS AND THE 

 HANDLING OF THE CROP ON 38 REPRESENTATIVE BEAR- 

 ING ORCHARDS, PAYETTE DISTRICT IN WESTERN IDAHO 



By 



S. M. THOMSON, Scientific Assistant 

 G. H. MILLER, Assistant Agriculturist 



CONTENTS 



Summary of Results ........ 1 



Location and Extent of Districts Studied . 3 



History and Development 3 



Conditions 6 



Farm Organization 8 



Farm Investments 10 



Orchards 11 



Yields 13 



Markets and Prices 14 



Orchard Management . . 14 



Handling the Crop 25 



Packing-house Labor . . 27 



Culls and Cider Apples 29 



Total Labor Costs 30 



Material and Fixed Costs 31 



Summary of All Costs Considered ... 33 

 Factors Affecting the Annual Cost of Pro- 

 duction 34 



WASHINGTON 

 GOVERNMENT PRINITNG OFFICE 



1918 



