8 BULLETIN 614, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ridges of the valley are steep and rocky, but the valley itself is nearly 

 level, with a gentle slope toward the Yakima River. (Pis. I, II, III, 

 and IV.) 



METHOD OF PRESENTATION. 



In analyzing the cost of production in the Yakima Valley it is 

 deemed advisable to give the results of the management under the 

 two more common methods of handling the soil, namely, clean 

 cultivation and the mulch-crop system. The former refers to 

 orchards which are annually cultivated and in which no cover or mulch 

 crop is sown. The latter refers to orchards in which the growing of 

 alfalfa, clover, and vetch is the practice. Alfalfa is grown in prac- 

 tically all the mulch-crop orchards considered in this study. The 

 method of management is fully discussed under the subject Mulch 

 Crop. 



The cost of production of apples in orchards under each method 

 of management will be given separately for North Yakima and 

 Zillah. These will then be combined to show a cost of production of 

 each method of management for the valley, and finally the cost of 

 production will be given in all orchards considered in this study 

 regardless of the method of orchard management. 



Four kinds of costs are considered in arriving at the total annual 

 cost of production — (1) maintenance, (2) handling, (3) material, and 

 (4) fixed, which are subdivided as follows: 



Labor costs. 



Costs other than labor. 



Maintenance. 



Handling. 



Material. 



Fixed. 



Manuring. 



Pruning. 



Disposal of brush. 



Cultivating. 



Irrigating. 



Thinning. 



Propping. 



Spraying. 



Miscellaneous. 



Sowing mulch crop. 



Harvesting mulch crop. 



Hauling shoots. 

 Hauling boxes to and 



from orchard. 

 Picking. 



Packing-house labor. 

 Hauling packed boxes. 

 Picking up and hauling 



culls. 



Manure. 

 Spray material. 

 Seed. 



Gasoline and oil. 

 Made-up boxes. 



Interest. 



Apple-building charge. 



Equipment charge. 



Sprayer hire. 



Taxes. 



Insurance. 



Water rent. 



FARM ORGANIZATION. 



The most intensive type of specialized agriculture of the entire 

 valley is found in the vicinity of North Yakima. The apple is the 

 most extensively grown fruit, although the pear, peach, plum, and 

 some of the smaller fruits are common. The ranches are small, with 

 usually a tract of commercial orchard. However, most ranchers 

 produce enough garden truck for their own families. Many of the 

 owners do much of their own work. Not all ranches are fully equip- 

 ped with the necessary implements for orchard work, though the 

 owners are generally able to exchange, borrow, or hire them at their 



