MUSHROOM GROWING IX THE UNITED STATES 



31 



interest and depreciation charge may be reduced when abandoned 

 buildings or caves are used; and labor cost will vary in different 

 localities and in different years. Otherwise costs are fairly com- 

 parable in different localities. In some localities spent manure or 

 " mushroom soil " is sold to truck gardeners, but this rarely returns 

 an income of more than enough to pay for hauling it away. 



Table 1. — Estimated cost of raising mushrooms in Chester County, Pa., 1930 



Item 



Cost per pound of 

 mushrooms when 

 yield is- 



1 pound 



per square 



foot 



l l A pounds 



per square 



foot 



Interest on investment (6 per cent of $5,000= $300) 



Depreciation (5 per cent) 



Manure, at $5.25 per ton (for 70 square feet of bed space) 



Freight on manure, at $1.25 per ton . 



Hauling manure to house, at 60 cents per ton 



Composting manure, three turns 



Filling house 



Emptying house 



Fumigating and disinfecting 



Heat and light 



Spawn and planting 



Casing 



Ventilation, watering, and miscellaneous 



Picking and cleaning beds 



Packing 



Baskets, wire, and paper, at 5 cents per basket 



Total 



0214 

 0178 

 0750 

 0178 

 0085 

 0081 

 0063 

 0060 

 ,0036 

 .0113 

 0200 

 0040 

 0050 

 0266 

 0116 

 0166 



$0. 0143 

 .0119 

 .0500 

 .0119 

 .0057 

 .0054 

 .0042 

 .0040 

 .0024 

 .0075 

 .0133 

 .0027 

 .0033 

 .0222 

 .0116 

 .0166 



,2596 



1870 



The following cost information, based on the estimates (made 

 in 1930) of several commercial growers, was used in calculating 

 the detailed costs per square foot of bed space shown in Table 1. 



Cost of building a double house (approximately 14,000 square feet) in a 

 row of 10 is estimated at $4,000 on a basis of wood construction, 100 feet 

 long, 6-foot beds six high, including heating plant. Equipment for this unit, 

 including trucks, is estimated at $1,000. 



Cost of composting manure is based on the turning and watering of a 

 90-ton heap three times by hand labor with six men in 27 hours, at 35 cents 

 per hour. (A heap of this size fills a 7,000-square-foot house.) 



Filling a house of 7,000 square feet, by hand labor, takes seven men 18 

 hours ( at 35 cents per hour ) , and costs $44.10. 



Emptying a house of 7,000 square feet takes six men 20 hours (at 35 cents 

 per hour) and costs $42. 



The cost of fumigating a house of 7,000 square feet is estimated at $25 

 for sulphur, pyrethrum, labor, etc. 



The cost of heat and light is estimated at $80 for 7,000 square feet, using 

 soft coal. 



Spawning and planting cost is based on the use of one bottle of spawn, 

 costing 70 cents, for 35 square feet. 



The cost of casing 7,000 square feet with soil from land belonging to grower 

 includes that of screening (requiring 20 man-hours at 35 cents per hour) 

 and hauling and casing (requiring five men 12 hours), and totals $28. 



The cost of picking and cleaning beds is based on one man picking four 

 to six baskets per hour, at 40 cents per hour (including cleaning the beds). 



Ventilating, watering, and miscellaneous costs are estimated at $35 for each 

 7,000 square feet. 



Packing cost is estimated on the basis of 10 baskets per man-hour, at 35 

 cents. 



