266 



PRUNING 



one man can on the average prune and dispose of the brush 

 from 6 trees in 10 hours. In younger orchards one man can 

 care for twice as many trees. (See Table 37.) 



In Berrien County, Michigan, in 1935, on 80 farms, where 

 most of the trees were between the ages of 15 and 30, the total 

 cost of labor for pruning, for trimming, hauling, and burning 

 the brush averaged $2.66 per acre. One acre required 15.3 

 man-hours and 3.4 horse-hours. Man labor was paid at the 

 rate of 15 cents per hour and horse labor at 11 cents per hour. 

 Most of these orchards were under partial or complete culti- 

 vation. 



In 1930 and 1931 in the Piedmont area of Virginia, with 

 trees of bearing age, the average cost per acre was $4.36 and 

 $3.02 respectively. (See Table 38.) 



TABLE 38 



Cost of Pruning and Removing Brush, Piedmont Area, 1930-31 



Item 



1930 



1931 





Number 



Number 



Records included 



22 



17 



Total acres, bearing orchard . . 



1,476.5 



1,160.5 



Acres pruned 



1,357.5 



893.5 





52,661 



36,004 





Per Acre 



Per Tree 



Per Acre 



Per Tree 





Pruned 



Pruned 



Pruned 



Pruned 



Man labor: 



Number 



Number 



Number 



Number 





17.0 



0.44 



14.7 



0.36 





4.12 



0.106 



2.73 



0.068 



Horse work: 













1.9 



0.05 



2.4 



0.06 . 



Dollars 



0.24 



0.006 



0.29 



0.007 



Total cost, dollars 



4.36 



0.112 



3.02 



0.075 



