SKED IMPROVEMENT MEETING. 259 



Shocking- and binding . 292 



Twine 302 



Hauling i .003 



Machinery co'st i .448 



Land rental 3.CXX) 



Total 10 . 265 



None of these Minnesota figures allow anything for manure. 



This is made a general charge against the farm and not against 

 the special crops. Commercial fertilizer is little used in grow- 

 ing corn in the West, and hence does not enter into the account. 

 Here lies one of the chief reasons why they can grow corn 

 cheaper than we can. 



None of these figures as they stand are directly applicable to 

 average Maine conditions. The western figures are too low 

 and the New Hampshire ones, in some respects too high. 



In the following figures I have attempted to make an esti- 

 mate, on the basis of these figures, and of what I have observed 

 of conditions regarding corn culture in the State, as to what it 

 costs to grow corn in Maine. It is my belief that the result 

 given is a minimum. That is, I doubt if corn can in general or 

 on the average be grown for much less than the amount given. 

 Of course, in individual cases some farmer may grow, or think 

 he grows, corn cheaper .than this, but these are meant to be aver- 

 age figures. 



Estimated Minimum Cost of Growing Corn in Maine. 



Seed and shelling $.25 



Manure and fertilizer 6.00* 



Plowing 1 . 75 



Harrowing .50 



Planting -75 



Cultivating and hoeing 4-00 



Harvesting corn and stover 2 . 50 



Hauling and husking 2 . 25 



Land rental 4-00 



Total $22.00 



"T^ deciding on this figure, allowance is made for the ^^lue of the Jertilizm^^^^^ 

 rials left in the soil for the benefit of the subsejiuent crops 1 1 ','i'i%^„'^'i\^„^ fhe acr^fn 

 in Maine attempts to grow corn with an actual outlai/ of as little as 86.00 to the acre in 

 manure and fertilizer. If he does his yield is pretty meager. 



