The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1921-05-12
IT COSTS money
TO GROW SPUDS
LABOR, SEED, FERTILIZER.
TAXES, INTEREST, DE-
PROBATION, INCOME
How Many of These Items Do
You Figure in Your Cash Bal.
ance at the End of the Year?

What does it cost to grow an acre
of potatoes in Washington?
This is a question that many farm
ers have asked and could not find a
ready answer. According to figures
compiled by r. N. Miller, extension
farm management demonstrator of
the State college, for the Yakima
valley last year the cost of growing
potatoes in five fields was approx
mately $211.50 per acre, or $3.50 per
ton to grow their spuds.
This figure is based on the cost of
seed in 1920 at $3.50 per ton, labor
at going wage plus board and six
per cent on the land, valued at $3.50
per acre. In 1919 it cost $197.50 per
acre or $3.50 per ton to produce the
potato, but the difference in cost be-
tween the two years was mainly the
difference in the cost of the seed and
the yield.
1t is usually better to figure on the
cost per acre, than cost per ton
basis, for the reason that the cost
per ton will fluctuate widely accord
ing to the difference in yield. The
per acre cost Is more nearly the
same regardless Of the yield. 1t
takes nearly as much labor, and Just
as much land to produce five tons
per acre, as it does to produce nine
tons.
1t is impossible to tell just how
much time each farmer will require
for the different operations in rails
ing a crop. This will depend largely
upon the lay of the ground, the soil,
machinery used, and many other con-
ditions which may enter into the op-
Grafton. The average time required
to grow an acre of potatoes, secured
from nine important potato growing
areas, and from 461 farms, shows
that the amount of man labor on
each acre amounted to TIA hours
and horse labor to 77.2 hours. 1t
was noted that the expense for man
and horse labor, fertilizers and seed,
amounted to approximately 80 per
cent of the total cost. The third
largest cost, other than the use of
land and buildings was seed. None
of these areas are irrigated and the
cost per acre is much lower than
in the principal potato sections OF
this state.
b With the above figures in mind
fo. average conditions, a fairly close
approximation of the cost of produc-
ing potatoes may be made. 1t should
be kept in mind that many things
will affect the time and expense, but
on these 461 farms the above num-
Der of hours were needed to produce
potatoes, leaving them In the sacks.
In Turing the cost of growing pc.
tatoes allow: a. man labor at the
going wage per hour plus sum to
cover board Gin this case 4Oc and
1Oc); (2) horse labor 12hc per horse
hour depending upon hours horse is
used yearly; 90 the actual cost OF
seed, seed treatment fertilizers and
as a management charge add ~ per
cent to the total of the above
charges; a. general taxes. and water
tax on the land used; co. interest
upon money invested in and depre'
citation on machinery, fumes and
fences used and co. fair cash
rental charge or interest on a con-
sentative acre value OF the lana
used. From this total the approx
nation of the cost per acre or per
ton may be figured.
A slightly easier method Is to con-
slider l, 2, 3 of the above paragraph
as so per cent of the cost and elm
mate the figuring of 3, 4, and o.
1t has been found by investigation
that 8, 4, and 6 are normally from
Is to 20 per cent of the total expense
of producing potatoes. Try this out
| on your farm!