DISTRIBUTION OF INVESTMENTS. 11 



DISTRIBUTION OF INVESTMENTS. 



Three distinct ol)jects are sought in tliis study of farm equipment: 

 (1) The amount of equipment necessary and its first cost; (2) the 

 inventory vahiation at a given time; and (3) the equipment charge 

 on farm operations, a portion of winch is represented in the differ- 

 ence between the first cost and a succeeding inventory valuation. 

 The second phase will be discussed first; that is, the present distri- 

 bution of investment as shown by the inventory. Land, buildings, 

 fences, drainage, water supply, Hve stock, machinery and tools, and 

 produce and supj^lies are regarded as the principal classes of equip- 

 ment. These classes are also divided among the enterprises. The 

 enterprise rather than the farm is regarded as the unit. 



LAND. 



Table II shows the distribution of acreage for 1909 by enterprises 

 for the various farms. The term "General" includes areas in lots, 

 lanes, waste spots, pubHc roads, and all other lands belonging to 

 the farm which can not properly be charged to one enterprise or to 

 a group of enterprises. "Household" includes the dooryard, the 

 family garden, and also the orchard where the growing of orchard 

 fruits is not at all a commercial proposition. Tenant yard, garden, 

 etc., are charged to "Labor." "All stock" refers to all lots and 

 fields devoted exclusively to live stock. Where pastured fields con- 

 tain any considerable growth of trees, the judgment of the surveyor 

 was rehed upon for a division of the field into pasture and woodland. 

 Temporary pastures are included under this head; hence, the areas 

 devoted to "All stock" and "All crops" would vary from year to 

 year. The term "All crops" includes all tilled and mowed fields. 

 On several farms certain groves, considered as permanent, were 

 maintained largely for the production of maple sugar or sirup, hence 

 the occurrence of a "Sugar" enterprise. The term "Orchard" 

 includes only fruit orchards largely commercial in their nature. 

 "Woodland" comprises not only natural tracts but areas planted 

 for the production of wood, posts, etc. The value given for the 

 bare land represents as accurately as possible the value exclusive of 

 all improvements. 



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