IMPLEMENT 



take some means of protecting this equipment to reduce de- 

 preciation and to increase its length of life. The question 

 has sometimes been asked, does it pay to house farm ma- 

 chinery? Is it not a better practice not to give any special 

 care to the machinery but use it as long as it will run without 

 care then buy newer and more up-to-date equipment? 



The situation bears some consideration. According to 

 Census figures, the average investment per farm in farm ma- 

 chinery is almost exactly $200. This, however, is the case 

 when every sort of farm is included, and since the Census 

 Bureau's definition of a farm is extremely liberal it would 

 not be .practical for our purposes. A fair estimate of the 

 average value of farm machinery on a farm is $1,000. No 

 reliable figures are available to indicate the rate of deprecia- 

 tion of farm machinery; one farmer will take excellent care 

 of his binder and it may do service for twenty or twenty- 

 five years, while another farmer will leave his binder in the 

 middle of the field where the last stalk of grain was cut, and 

 it would be surprising if his machine could operate satisfac- 

 torily for more than five seasons. To take ten years as the 

 average life of farm machinery is certainly to be considered 

 conservative. 



Most farm machines are well and substantially con- 

 structed and will render satisfactory and efficient service 

 with slight repairs for a much longer term of years than the 

 average which has just been given. It is entirely safe to 

 assume that the average length of efficient service can be 

 increased to fifteen years providing proper care is given. It 

 is almost equally safe to assume that the average life of 

 uncared-for machinery will not be much more than five years. 



The farmer who has a thousand dollars worth of ma- 

 chinery to which he gives no care and attention will then 

 have an annual reduction in value of $200, besides his interest 

 charge of $60 on his investment or a total debit of $260. The 

 farmer who properly houses his machinery will have an 

 annual deduction of $66.66 for depreciation and the same 

 interest charge of $60. He will have, in addition, an annual 

 charge of $25 for interest and depreciation on his building 

 if it cost $250, or a total of $151.66, which is $108.34 less than 

 that of his improvident neighbor. The careful farmer then 

 may consider that he has in his implement house an invest- 

 ment representing over $1,800 as shown by the saving it 

 brings him; as a simple implement shed can be built for $250, 



Four 



