2 BULLETIN 446, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



SUMMARY OF RESULTS. 



The salienfc facts concerning these 87 orchards brought out by this 

 investigation, made in the summer and fall of 1914, are, in brief, as 

 follows: 



The average investment per farm surveyed is $20,974; the average 

 investment per acre of bearing apples alone is $1,925. The equipment 

 investment is high, being $444 per ranch, or $47 per acre, exclusive 

 of stock. There is an average of two horses per farm, or 5.3 tillable 

 acres per horse. 



The total annual cost of production is $469.73 per acre, or $0,792 

 per box, f. o. b. Of this, labor-cost constituted $179.09 per acre, or 

 $0,302 per box, and cash-cost, including interest on investment, 

 $290.64 per acre, or $0.49 per box. This is the annual cost for the 

 average orchard under clean cultural management. Where under 

 alfalfa or clover management, this cost is reduced about $0.02 per 

 box.^ 



Orchards average 6| acres and 81 trees per acre. Trees average 

 11 years of age. 



In the Wenatchee Valley proper, counting every bearing orchard, 

 the leading 10 varieties in order of importance are: Winesap, 

 Jonathan, Esopus, Rome Beauty, Stayman, Gano, Ben Davis, Yellow 

 Newtown, Arkansas (Mammoth Black Twig), and Arkansas Black. 

 On the basis of the number of young trees, 1 to 5 years of age, in- 

 clusive, the order is Winesap, Delicious, Jonathan, Rome Beauty, 

 Stayman, Esopus, Winter Pearmain, Banana, Gano, and Yellow 

 Newtown. 



The yield per acre on the bearing orchards from w^hich data were 

 secured is 593 boxes, or 7.3 boxes per tree. This represents all 

 yields on trees from 7 to 11 years, inclusive. 



DESCRIPTION OF REGION. 



The State of Washington (see fig. 1) is divided by the Cascade 

 Mountains into two unequal and distinct parts, which results in a 

 wide variation in climate and rainfall. West of the Cascades there is 

 an annual rainfall sufficient for the growing of crops, while east of the 

 mountains there are sections which have an annual precipitation of 

 less than 8 inches, necessitating irrigation. The irrigated area is rela- 

 tively small compared with the upland prairies, where the rainfall is 

 sufficient for farming without irrigation. Fruit growing in eastern 



1 No account has here been taken of the depreciation of the orchards. If it is assumed that an orchard 

 remains in full bearing for 30 years and then is removed, the rate of depreciation is 3J per cent. This 

 percent of$l,925, the average value per acre of the orchards surveyed, is $64.17. That is, the depreciation 

 is $64.17 per acre, or $0.1082 per box with the average yield of 593 boxes per acre. This is probably a 

 maximum figure. It is probable that if the facts concerning the orchard depreciation were known they 

 would add to the cost here something between $0.04 and $0.08 per box. This assumes, of course, that 

 the orchard is in full bearing 30 years. 



