44 A STTJDY OF FARM EQUIPMENT IN OHIO. 



figure given, however, is not too high for good results. All lambs at 

 foot are included in the value of the breeding ewes. Feeding wethers, 

 lambs, and ewes are grouped under "Wethers, etc." 



SWINE. 



Swine are quoted at a round figure approximating the average 

 value on these farms at that time as follows: Boar, $15; sow, $14; 

 shoat, $5; pig, $2.50. Several fat hogs are included under "shotes," 

 and the dividing Hue between "shotes" and "pigs" is not well defined. 

 About 5^ cents per pound was the farm value of hogs at the time 

 the inventories were taken. 



MACHINERY, TOOLS, ETC. 



As stated elsewhere, * the first cost of the great number of minor 

 articles of farm equipment not mentioned in Table XIII would 

 probably be from $200 to $300 by the time the outfit was complete 

 for the average Ohio general farm of 160 acres. This figure, however, 

 would include an appropriation of $50 or more for repair materials, 

 which m this report are invoiced with "Produce, supplies, etc." 

 Taking all the minor items other than repair materials for 33 farms, 

 using the ordinaiy retail prices and dividing by the number of farms, 

 the first cost of minor items for the average farm of 167 acres was 

 found to be about $190. In taking an inventory of the small items 

 many were doubtless omitted, and $200 is probably a figure low 

 enough to allow for the average equipment of this sort. 



The values for harness, machinery, etc., in Table XIII are as nearly 

 as can be ascertained, the usual retail prices prevailing in Ohio for 

 new articles. Both farmers and merchants were consulted in the 

 effort to obtain these prices, but, of course, the figures given are 

 merely suggestive. The "First value" cost shown in Table XV in- 

 cludes both first and secondhand prices and may be regarded as 

 indicative of the usual farm practice. 



In making up a list of machinery for the average farm so many 

 factors enter into consideration that a generalization would be of 

 little value. The number of any single item reported for all the farms, 

 the average for all farms, the percentage of farms reporting the 

 article, and the number of articles per farm reporting are all to be 

 regarded as useful in separating the necessary items from those only 

 occasionally or rarely used. A careful study of Table XIII is recom- 

 mended as of more value than a suggested fist, especially with the 

 major items of equipment shown. For the purpose of this study it 

 is desired only to obtain an average figure for the total first cost of 



1 Circular 44, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

 212 



