42 BULLETIN 851, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The kinds and amounts of commercial fertilizer used in the or- 

 chards of western New York varied to a considerable degree. The 

 cost per ton varied from $12 to $52. 



Seed for cover crops, such as mammoth clover, cow-horn turnips, 

 rape, barley, vetch, buckwheat, etc., is charged at the market price 

 for the same at the time of this investigation. Gasoline was figured 

 at the rate of 25 cents per gallon, with a nominal charge for oil, etc. 

 The price of barrels varied from 35 to 38 cents, 36 cents being the 

 charge used. The total material cost amounted to $49.07 per acre, 

 or 58 cents per barrel. This is 41 per cent of the total annual net 

 cost of production. 



The fixed costs amount to $33.61 per acre, or 40 cents per barrel, 

 which is 28 per cent of the annual net cost of production. In these 

 charges are certain items which are not usually considered by the 

 grower in arriving at the cost. These items will be noted in Table 

 XXIV. Few of the farmers of western New York have buildings 

 which are used exclusively as packing sheds during the apple har- 

 vest. The greater part of the fruit is packed in the orchard. How- 

 ever, there is a tendency toward packing, more fruit under cover. 

 A few of the growers pack in their barns. This is especially the 

 case during a rainy harvesting season. For this reason it is necessary, 

 in determining the cost of production, to include a nominal charge for 

 the use of buildings. This amounts to $1.99 per acre annually, or a 

 little over 2 cents per barrel. The equipment charge for the farms 

 considered amounts to $3.10 per acre, or nearly 4 cents per barrel. 

 This includes depreciation, upkeep, and interest on the investment. 

 But few of the growers in western New York hire spray rigs. This 

 charge is prorated over all records so as to arrive at proper regional 

 cost of production. Taxes amounted to $2.30 per acre, or about 3 

 cents per barrel. The orchard's share of the insurance is 43 cents 

 per acre, or $0,005 per barrel. The interest on investment in the 

 apple orchard is the second largest single item entering into the cost 

 of production, making up about 22 per cent of the total net cost of 

 production on the farms studied. This charge is figured on an 

 average investment of $514.35 per acre. The interest charge per 

 acre is $25.72, or 31 cents per barrel. The total material and fixed 

 costs for all records is made up of about 60 per cent of material and 

 40 per cent fixed charges, or $82.68 per acre and 98 cents per barrel, 

 or about 70 per cent of the total annual net cost of production. 



