UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



I BULLETIN No. 446 i 



i 



SU^'^WU 



OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 



Contribution from the Office of Farm Management 



W. J. SpiUman, Chief 



jru^'^^j-t. 



Washington, D. C. 



January 10, 1917 



THE COST OF PRODUCING APPLES IN WENATCHEE 



VALLEY, WASH. 



[A detailed study, made in 1914, of the current cost factors Involved in the mainte- 

 nance of orchards and the handling of the crop on 87 orchards.] 



By G. H. Miller, Assistant Agriculturist, and S. M. Thomson, Scientific Assistant. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction 1 



Sammary of results 2 



Description of region 2 



Method of survey 6 



Oreliard management 10 



Handling the crop 26 



Material costs 33 



Fixed costs 33 



INTRODUCTION. 



This bullethi is the first of a series designed to meet the long- 

 standing need for a careful study of apple orcharding in various parts 

 of the United States which would give comparative and detailed 

 information on the different methods of orchard management in 

 vogue and the several factors which enter into the cost of apple 

 production. This particular study was made during the summer and 

 fall of 1914 in Wenatchee Valley, Chelan County, Washington, in 

 territory tributary to the towns of Wenatchee, Monitor, and Cash- 

 mere. Complete and detailed data^ were secured on the bearing 

 apple orchards of 87 ranches,^ and the figures presented represent 

 conditions as they actually existed on the farms when surveyed in 

 1914. 



' I'nfortunatcly, few farmers keep accounts which would give the necessary information for a study of 

 the cost of conduci ins various farm enterprises. However, amjjlc experience in IhoOlliccof l''anu Manage- 

 ment has shown llial although farmers may not have accurate records of their work, expenditures, and 

 income, the average farmer does have in min(l fairly accurate information oil Iheso points, and this infor- 

 mation can Ix! obtained from liim hy skillful (luestioning when the (lueslioiis are stated in the terms in 

 w lilch the farmer thinks. Tlic O/hcc of Farm Management has therefore developed the method of studying 

 cost of i)roduciion by means of the farm survey, in which informal ion is ol)taiiK!d from a large niiinlier of 

 farmers by dir<-ci liucrviews. In many ln.stanees It lias been possible to conipan! averages thus ol)lained 

 with iu-fniraii! records, an<l the results justify theconc^lusion that when tlu! surv(?y method is j)ropcrly and 

 skillfully M'M-il the Information obtained by it Is ordinarily as accurate as the results secured in carefully 

 wmducied iU-Ui cxjicrlments. The siirvf^y melliod was used in olitaining tlie information contained in 

 this bulletin. 



2 The word "ran<;h" lsalo<;al term for any farm, ami tlu? word "raiichi'r" is useil iu I lie sense of funiici-. 



.SoTK. - .Vckiiowlr'dKmeiil Is due to the Ofllco of Jforticiilliiral and l'oinol()(.;ical Investigations uf the 

 Ilurcauof i'lant Industry for material assistance in the preparation of this bulletin. 

 58500'— Bull. 44H — 17 1 



