The Glenwood post., 1909-12-25

two hundred acres of land, equally
good to bring him n gross profit OF
$1,000.
The Western Slope fruit grower may
harvest 800 boxes of apples from an
acre of ground This would be 5000
boxes from a ten-acrc tract, or ten ear
loads of 800 boxes to the car. If he re.
alizcs 81 per box for this crop he has
earned 5000, the same as the eastern
farmer received from his 200 acres Of
corn.
And this latter deduction represents
the most substantial proof that ten
acre tract is all one family can proper.
ly care for. Picture the magnitude Of
a ten-car product! Think for a NO
mcnt that there are 5000 boxes of ap.
pies and that each of these boxes is on,
foot in height, and that if they were
piled, one above the other. it would
make a monument of apples lacking
only $50 feet of being one mile high.
The prospective horticulturist will
always ask YOU the question: Chow
can ! make a living on my tract while
it is coming into bearing?' 1t is, in
deed, vital question, but its legitimate
answer is as encouraging to the invest
or as it well could be when we take
substantial and conservative estimate
into consideration. 1t is difficult to
make q general estimate; it is almost
impossible to contemplate or anticipate
the various conditions various people
would create. Each tract would receive
different treatment at the hands of diff
ferent people.
1t is also a difficult matter to deter
mine by any rule what the cost of the
labor would he. As rule the little or
chard of ten acres is cared for by tho
members of the family. Each member
of the family is partner in performing
the labor. as well as sharing in the pro-
fits.
know of no rigid or inflexible ruls
Of deduction. l know of no general
method of producing an estimate that
would apply year after year. As time
lapses conditions grow better. Tho
measure of today may be discarded by
the progressive horticulturist of to.
morrow.
I 1ac,rn fn mako IT
plain to You that my estimates in this
address are subject to changed condi-
tions. Many will view them in an ad-
verse light. The experience of the
more fortunate horticulturists will sug-
gcst to them that my figures are ultra
conservative. Those upon whom ths
goddess Pomona has not smiled so gra-
ciously will believe my estimates to be
radically high.
I regard them as a conservative aver
, age and make the statement without
qualification that they can be more than
duplicated in the Rifle section, where 1
live, and to which am indebted for the
various production figures.
If your trees are planted thirty feet
! apart, you have, approximately, seven
/ acres to till between the rows and then
leave nearly six feet on each side OF
your tree row.
I have employed potatoes as the
crop to use in making these estimates,
( Strawberries and grapes as the smaller
fruits, and poultry as the incident to
i the orchard. Bees are also the source
of splendid profit to the orchardis'
where the blossom of the fruit, fowe.
and alfalfa are as generously numerous
! as they are on the western slope. II
has been suggested to me that com
servative estimate of the profit to bf
derived from bee culture will exceed
thaat derived from raising poultry, bu:
there is no logical or reasonable reason
why both sources of revenue should mol
he drawn upon by man who has plant
ed an orchard and is seeking to proH'
while nature brings it to = state oi
profitable bearing.