10 



BULLETIN 500, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Table III. — Average size of farms and orchards (125 ranches, western Colorado). 



Mesa. 



Delta. 



Montrose ' 



All 



Number of records 



Average acreage of farms 



Tillable acres per farm 



Per cent of farm area tillable 



Average acreage of bearing orchards 



Average acreage of young apple orchards 



Per cent of farm area in bearing apple orchards 



49 



19.56 



18 



92 

 8.22 

 3.5 



42 



61 



51.86 

 37.34 

 72 



12.19 

 4.94 

 23.5 



15 



43.86 

 39.47 

 90 



13. 66 

 3.56 

 31 



125 



38.24 

 30.01 

 78.4 

 10.81 

 4.21 

 28.3 



The farms are most highly specialized in Mesa, less so in Delta, 

 and least in Montrose. Crops besides tree fruits grown for sale 

 include a few truck crops, small fruits, potatoes, alfalfa, small quan- 

 tities of alfalfa seed, and a little grain. Potatoes are a very impor- 

 tant crop in Montrose and parts of Delta County. Most of the grain 

 grown for sale comes from Montrose. Very little stock is kept on the 

 farms surveyed, although on many of the larger ranches of the region 

 stock is fed during the winter and the manure, returned to the land. 

 Mesa County (Grand Valley) is very highly specialized, and devoted 

 almost exclusively to fruit, differing in this respect from the other 

 two counties. 



INVESTMENTS. 



The amount of capital invested in the fruit farming of western 

 Colorado as compared to other types of farming is very great. The 

 average total investment of the 49 farms in the Grand Valley, aver- 

 aging 19.56 acres in size, is $12,004.02; the average total investment 

 per acre of these farms, giving each farm the same weight, is $778.32. 

 On these same farms the average bearing apple-orchard investment 

 per farm is $5,826.04, and the average acreage of apples 8.22 acres, 

 or 42 per cent of the average total farm area. However, the average 

 investment per acre on these orchards, giving each orchard, large or 

 small the same weight, is $751.56. The interest charge per acre is 

 figured on this average. (See Table IV.) 



The equipment investment per farm as shown in Table IV includes 

 no stock, either horses or cattle, but includes all machinery and other 

 equipment necessary. For the size of farm this is a high investment, 

 due largely to the diversity of tools that are found on these ranches. 



Table IV. — Farm and orchard investments (125 ranches, western Colorado). 



Investment per farm: 



Total 



In land and improvements 



In hearing apple orchard 



In equipment 



Investment in bearing apple orchard per acre: 



Total 



In equipment 



Per cent of farm investment in bearing apple orchard 



Total 



Land and buildings 



S12.0O4.02 



11, 861. 98 



5. 826. 04 



' 751. 56 



603. 02 



36.00 



48.5 

 49.11 



Delta. 



$19, 781. 23 



18, 238. 79 



7, 414. 74 



627. 38 



719. 37 



24.00 



37.48 

 40.6 



Montrose. 



$16, 733. 78 



14.914.28 



6.292.85 



'439. 2S 



1,008.92 

 31.16 



37.6 

 42.19 



All coun- 

 ties. 



$16,366.87 



15. 340. 14 



6, 657. 34 



653. 49 



70s 51 

 29.56 



43.4 



. 



