COST OF PRODUCING APPLES IN YAKIMA VALLEY. 19 
Since the mulch crop has not been used generally in this district 
for any length of time, the true effects, as far as yields are concerned, 
do not seem yet to be in evidence. It is a recognized fact, however, 
that the orchards are in need of humus, and perhaps in many cases 
-the mulch-crop system, with proper management, would bring good 
results. However, whatever the system of management, if the 
orchards are to be kept in good physical condition and are to bear 
the average crop or more, due care must be taken in the management. 
Considering the valley as a whole, regardless of whether the orchards 
are under clean-cultural or mulch-crop management, there is an 
average yield of 432 packed es per acre, or 5.87 boxes per tree, 
the orchards ranging from 7 to 22 years of age and averaging 73.6 
trees per acre. 
ORCHARD MAINTENANCE. 
Under orchard maintenance are included those practices which 
at the time of this study usually were followed by 120 orchardists 
of the Yakima Valley in the upkeep of their bearing apple orchards. 
Among these are manuring, pruning, disposal of brush, soil manage- 
ment, thinning, propping, spraying, and any miscellaneous labor 
previous to handling the crop. 
MANURING. 
Manuring is the annual practice of 77 per cent of all orchardists 
considered in this investigation. It is obvious from the small 
number of work horses and other stock on the average ranch that the 
amount of manure annually produced is small, yet few of the ranchers 
buy any manure in town or have it shipped in from other points. 
Most of the manure produced is usually applied on the bearing apple 
orchard, except for the small amount which is often used on the 
garden. Often, however, growers are found who make a practice 
of applying a considerable amount on the younger orchards. . As a 
rule, there is not enough produced on the average ranch to manure 
the entire bearing apple orchard each year. (See Table XII.) 
Eighty per cent of the ranchers visited in North Yakima and 73 
per cent in Zillah made a practice of manuring all or a portion of their 
orchards each year. The former apply an average of 4.78 tons and 
the latter 7.72 tons per acre. , 
TaBLeE XII.— Average time, tons, and cost per acre when a crew of one man and two horses 
is used for manuring orchards in Yakima Valley. 
Num- | Hours. Acres | 7 
District. UEC Ofd laa ees LO Aaa 
lreeords.| Man. | Horse. | hours. 
IN@ TL Ne eit Be ee Oe eee 25 8.51 | 17.02 1.17 | $4.68 5.52 | $8.28]. $12.96 
VA aE San ee ee 21} 10.88] 21.76 92 5. 99 8.50 | 12.75 18. 74 
North Yakima and Zillah --....-- 46 9.59 | 19.18 1.04 5. 28 6.88 | 10.32 15. 60 
Under mulch-crop management: 
INORiney Akama 5552 fo cc cc ok ns 14 7.49 | 14.98 1.34 4.12 4.14 6.21} 10.34 
JESINEN 5 Sei Se Oke Be ee ae 14 9.05 | 18.10 1.10 4. 98 5. 62 8.43 | 13.41 
8.27 | 16.54 1,21 4,59 4,88 7. 32 11.87 
North Yakima and Zillah .__...-- 28 
