Cost of Production 377 



of the shade crop usually grown in the orchard more than 

 pays for the cost of soil management plus irrigation in 

 the Northwest. Under the old systems of clean cultiva- 

 tion, the northwest grower expended from $15 to $20 an 

 acre in soil management. By growing alfalfa as a shade 

 crop and taking off one or two cuttings, he makes about 

 enough to pay soil management costs. Some of the best 

 authorities maintain that in taking off two or more cut- 

 tings of alfalfa, the grower is depleting soil fertility. It 

 is to be questioned whether it is advisable to remove more 

 than one cutting. 



For eastern and middle western orchards, with the ex- 

 ception of those in sod mulch, soil management involves 

 about the same amount of labor to the acre as does pruning, 

 since about 25 per cent of all the labor spent in growing 

 apples up until harvest is in cultivation or other labor on 

 the soil. Western New York growers expend about 13 

 man hours and 28 horse hours to the, acre in soil manage- 

 ment. 



The greatest saving in sod mulch orchards in the East 

 is in the absence of any expense for soil treatment. How- 

 ever, this saving is usually more than lost in decreased 

 yields. 



It is of interest to note the number of acres one man 

 and team will cover a day with the ordinary cultivation 

 tools. 

 Table XXII. — Acres a Day for One Man and Two Horses 



