Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-09-10
METHOD FOR FINDING EXACT
COST OF GROWING FRUIT.

What does it cost to run an orch
ard? A plan of cost accounting for
appie-orchard operations for fruit
growers wishing to find out the annual
cost of managing an orchard has been
outlined by the u. s. Department of
Agriculture. The method presented
is the result of records covering 10
years work in several New York or
chards. The bulletin gives details for
two years work on one of these orch.
ards. The method is applicable to all
similar operations The result of the
study is given in great detail in the
Departments new bulletin mo. 1907.
entitled, Operating Costs of Well
Established New York Apple Orchard" !"
The orchard for which the details
are given is over so years old and well
located for the production of fruit. It
consists of nearly Is acres and con-
'tains 527 trees. The total annual cost
of the operation of the orchard during
the two years covered by the detailed
studies was divided into labor, cash,
and fixed costs. Nine hundred and
thirty-seven marketable barrels OF
sHples were produced the first season
for total operating cost Of 81 1,217.92
Two thousand one hundred and four
barrels were produced the second year
at total expense of $2,125.69.
Apple Growers Should Diversity Crops
The cost of growing apples is les
sened by growing them in connection
with other farm crops and utilizing
the man and horse labor on these
crops when they are not needed in
the orchard. The experiences OF the
best apple growers in old apple-pro
sdUcing regions indicate that proper
arrangement of well-diversified farm
is as important a factor in profitable
apple raising as the use of different
scultural methods, reduction of pack
Ing, cost or even cheaper wages for
help.
The farm in question consists Of
s122 acres. Fifty per cent of this area
is devoted to general crops other than
fruit. and of the SO acres devoted to
fruit only about 15 are used for apple
raising. Enough hay, oats, and corn
are raised on the farm for feed. Po-
tatoes are raised, but only for home
use. Wheat and beans, as well as the
fruit, are cash crops. Each year 20
scr SO sheep are kept and pasthred
during the summer. Lambs are raised
and fattened during the early spring
months. six horses are kept for work
and one family use One or two colts
are raised each year.
The actual costs given are not the
most important result of this study, as
other farms in the same community
might show quite different results.
The method of analyzing the various
cost factors is the feature that is OF
most practical value. The Depart
nent's new publication aims to out
line for the independent apple grower
method that will enable him to de-
tcrmine the actual cost of maintaining
and operating his fruit enterprise on
his own farm. 1t does not attempt to
give a concrete example of just what
the costs will be. Beside the fact OF
the repreciation of the apple orch
ard already mentioned, other factors
such as the variety, age, and size OF
trees, the soils, and the climate Will
influence the actual costs, but not the
rethod of analyzing these costs. Ap-
lie growers will find much to interest
them in the new publication which is
being sent free of charge to such per-
sons as apply for 1t.