Читать книгу The Raisin Industry - Gustavus A. Eisen - Страница 50

—In the Grecian Islands and Morea, the best vineyard land varies between $80 and $125 per acre for unimproved land. To prepare the land for the vineyard and irrigation, it will cost, in extreme cases, from $20 to $50 more. The first year’s cultivation and care of the young vines is, of course, different according to locality, but the average is seldom less than $50 per acre. The value of already planted property or a vineyard in good bearing is seldom less than $320 per acre, and often as high as $650 per acre,—four stremmas. Strange enough, in calculating the cost of a vineyard in Greece, no one ever takes into consideration the price of the plantation or the capital invested. The interest on the same is never considered by the natives. In this respect they resemble our own farmers, who, in calculating the expenses of their farms, never take into consideration the labor of themselves and family. Of course, it is almost impossible to obtain exact calculations of profit. The following will serve as a sample: An acre of vineyard planted to currants yields 3,200 pounds. The price obtained for the same is two cents per pound, or $64. The labor for the year on one acre is estimated at $45, leaving a yearly profit of $19 per acre. In reality, however, this is not a true statement, as it does not consider the interest on the capital. If the same should be added, it is evident that there would be but little or no profit in the growing of currants. The industry simply enables the peasant who pursues the work to live and support his family, and possibly to pay his taxes. Only the very best land and the best vineyards can pay enough to enable its owner to save up a capital, generally a difficult thing in Greece for any one but a merchant or government officer.

As a rule, the cost of producing one hundred pounds of currant raisins is not less than $1.35. Whatever the merchant pays above this to the producer will be for the benefit of the producer. But, as a rule, this way of buying direct is not in use. The merchant sells on commission, and what this means we who have had experience in the raisin business in this State all know. We will see how a calculation of an acre of currants will look, when all the expenses are taken into consideration:

One acre of currants equals 3,200 pounds at three cents per pound		$96.00
Expense on 3,200 pounds at $1.35	$43.00
Packing and hauling	7.50
Freight, insurance, duty, etc.	22.50
Interest on capital invested	15.00
Merchant charges say	8.00
	$96.00

In this instance the poor currant raiser has had no other profit than the five per cent interest on his capital invested; he has, in other words, come out even. But figures, sometimes, are apt to lie. The profit, no doubt, is small to the producer, but it must still be some. He makes, no doubt, fair wages according to his own ideas, and as he has paid for his capital in labor, and probably never handled a dollar of the same, he considers himself comparatively well-to-do. But, as currant vineyards sometimes sell, and sell high, too, it is simply unaccountable that the interest is never taken into consideration in estimating the profits of the grower. The currant industry is, I believe, the only one in the world in which this is not done. I have thus extensively dwelt upon the profits and expenses of this industry in its native country, on account of the many attempts to introduce the growing of currants here in California. The question with us is, will it pay. Our advantage is that our currants would be protected; but still it is very doubtful if currant plantations would ever pay enough to warrant us to engage in the same. The price paid at present is too low, and, as long as Muscatels bring a higher price, it will probably be the favorite grape with us.