176 THE JUDGING OF FARMS, CROPS, AND PLANTS 



Score-card for farms Continued 



SIZE STANDARD 



WATER-SUPPLY 



29. Running water, wells 40 



IMPROVEMENTS 



30. Site of farmstead 10 



31. House as adapted to needs of farm 60 



32. Other buildings ....'., 60 



33. Fences, kind, condition, arrangement 30 



34. Timber, orchards, vineyards, etc 20 



TOTAL 



Deductions for 



SCORE ... 



Area in acres 



Price asked . 



Price per acre 



Price per acre (excluding waste land) 



Estimated value 



Which farm would you prefer to buy? 



The number of points assigned in the foregoing score-card is not the 

 limit, but is suggestive. For example, if the water-supply is exception- 

 ally good, give it more than forty points. Any other exceptional 

 values may be scored more than the points assigned. In some cases, 

 a deduction of all the points assigned is not sufficient. Distance to 

 market may absolutely disqualify a farm for the sale of milk. If the 

 score-card is followed exactly, this farm may score higher than a fairly 

 good farm near market. In all such cases, deduct additional points 

 from the total score. It is only by this flexibility that scores can be 

 made that are truly comparable. The best farm for the purpose 

 should have the highest final score. The chief purposes of a score-card 

 are to make the examination systematic and to prevent the forgetting 

 of important items. 



If the points are not properly distributed for the kind of farming to 

 be followed, a new distribution of points should be made before com- 

 paring farms. For example, for truck farms, all points that have to do 

 with ease of tillage should be given a higher rating, while fertility is of 

 less importance. In irrigated sections, water right, alkali, and ease of 

 application of water must be included. 



No points are assigned for climate. This should be considered when 

 judging farms in different regions or at different altitudes, or when 

 topography or proximity to water makes a difference in the climate of 

 the farms that are being compared. This would be specially impor- 

 tant near sea-coasts and in little understood climatic situations. 



