BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 439 



P^Aini EQiiiP-AiENT, — Diitn have been secured for several localities 

 showing the investment and its distribution in the various classes 

 of permanent and movable equipment, including the investment in 

 live stock and machinery, che cubic space per acre and per farm for 

 dwellings and other buildings, and the poAver requirements for farms. 

 Provisional labor standards for all of the common farm operations, 

 with varying sizes of crows and equipments, have been worked out 

 for average conditions. 



Marketing farm products. — A beginning has been made in the 

 study of the methods used in different parts of the country in pre- 

 paring farm products for market, the effect of these methods on 

 prices received, methods used in transportation, methods of organiza- 

 tion and conduct of cooperative marketing associations, the distribu- 

 tion of enterprises in their relation to market centers, the differences 

 in prices received by the producer and those paid by the consumer, 

 and the reasons for these differences. 



Far^i credtt. — There is general interest in the establishment of 

 systems of farm credit that may be applicable to conditions prevalent 

 in various sections of this country. A preliminary study has been 

 made of the various systems now in use in other countries, especially 

 in Europe. A systematic study of this subject as it applies to this 

 country is now in progress. 



Farm insurance. — A study is being made of the subject of farm 

 in.surance, especial attention being given to cooperative insurance 

 associations. Such organizations have been found to be more nu- 

 merous and more successful than was anticipated when the study 

 was begun. 



SPECIAL farm-management STUDIES. 



Tenant farming. — The subject of tenant farming is being studied 

 with special reference to the contract between oAvner and tenant. 

 Where tenants have assurance of long tenures, it has been found 

 that they frec^uently furnish at their own expense many of the per- 

 manent improvements, such as fences and farm buildings, and usually 

 adopt a system of farming that will maintain and often improve 

 soil fertility. Data now on hand from a large number of tenant 

 farms is b^ing analyzed for the purpose of finding the most satis- 

 factory division of the proceeds between labor, working capital, and 

 investment in real estate. This study has already revealed certain 

 general principles that enable the office to offer valuable suggestions 

 concerning the details of lease contracts. 



Weeds and tillage. — The relation of weeds to the tillage require- 

 ments of cultivated crojis has been studied during the past seven 

 years in cooperation with certain experiment stations and farmers. 

 The results are important. Closely related to this subject in the 

 South is that of hillside terracing, which has been given special 

 attention. 



The study of the use of herbiciiles in the destruction of weeds has 

 shown that where it is desirable to kill all vegetation, as in such situ- 

 ations as driveways, railroad tracks, etc., comracm salt, arsenite of 

 soda, and petroleum products are satisfactory. 



