ORGANIZATION OF THE FARM 



change from the one crop to the other. Changes 

 of this kind often come about in certain districts, 

 because of the growth of a great industrial and 

 commercial center in that part of the country. 

 Take, for example, the farms located within a few 

 miles of Chicago. Seventy years ago there was 

 practically no home market, and the farmers, to 

 the extent that they produced for the market at 

 all, produced those crops which when shipped to 

 the East would yield the largest net profit ; but in 

 the meantime "the development of a market close 

 at hand has greatly influenced the organization 

 of these farms. The local demand for milk and 

 for garden produce has made it most profitable 

 for the farmers to devote themselves more or less 

 exclusively to dairying and market gardening. 

 This is due to the well known fact that location 

 with respect to the market has a greater influence 

 upon the price of some commodities than upon 

 that of others; that is, a dollar's worth of one 

 commodity can be shipped more cheaply or in 

 better condition than can a dollar's worth of an- 

 other commodity. Thus it is that the farmer 

 must ever be alert to the changes which are going 

 on in the whole industrial world if he would per- 

 fectly adjust his production in such a manner 

 as will bring the largest net profits. 



Fluctuations in land rents, without any change 

 in the relative value of the products, may necessi- 

 tate the reorganization of the field-system. Sup- 



71 



