UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 BULLETIN No. 500 



Contribution from Office of Farm Management 

 W. J. SPILLM AN, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



March 14, 1917 



THE COST OF PRODUCING APPLES IN 

 WESTERN COLORADO 



A DETAILED STUDY, MADE IN 1914-15, OF THE CURRENT COST 



FACTORS INVOLVED EN THE MAINTENANCE OF ORCHARDS AND 



THE HANDLING OF THE CROP ON 125 FARMS IN THE FRUIT 



REGIONS OF MESA, DELTA, AND MONTROSE COUNTIES 



By 



S. M. THOMSON, Scientific Assistant, and 

 G. H. MILLER, Assistant Agriculturist 



CONTENTS 





Facts Brought Out .... 

 Conclusions Drawn . . ; . . 

 History of the Apple Industry 

 Topography 





Climate 



Distance from Market 

 Farm Organization . . 



Page 

 3 

 4 

 5 



5 i 



The Orchards 12 



Orchard Management 14 



Harvesting Operations 34 



Yields 39 



Marketing 41 



Materials and Fixed Costs 41 



Summary of all Costs 44 



WASHINGTON 



GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 



1917 



