6 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 388 



and a balanced farm business in the growing of flock replacements were con- 

 tributing factors to high farm returns. 



A balanced or diversified farm business will tend to produce a net return year 

 after year in contrast to high returns and losses on specialized farms. In general 

 a diversified farm business is to be desired, although not all farms of this type 

 are profitable. 



Labor Saving Methods and Practices on Massachusetts Farms. (C. R. Creek.) 



Harvesting and Packing Iceberg Lettuce. The results of this stud}' on vegetable 

 farms were published in Mimeograph FM5, February 1941. Diagrams of packing 

 shed equipment and layout were included as well as descriptions and discussions 

 of various methods of harvesting and packing. 



Harvesting and Packing Tomatoes. This stud>- was published as Mimeograph 

 FM6 in March 1941 and contained descriptions of methods and practices in har- 

 vesting and packing tomatoes in dififerent types of containers for ^■arious markets. 

 Diagrams of packing equipment such as conveyor belts, tables, and trays are in- 

 cluded, plus time data on the efficiency of dififerent methods. 



Harvesting and Packing Celery. This study was published as Mimeograph 

 FM7 in May 1941 and supplements a previous description and analysis of packing 

 operations on farms producing celery. Information on equipment and practices 

 in the field work of harvesting celery and a diagram of the packing shed layout 

 for the handling of celery and carrots was included. 



Rural Credit in Massachusetts. (A. H. Lindsey and Sargent Russell.) Dur- 

 ing the year, 273 survey records of 1940 farm operations were taken covering 10 

 towns in 5 counties of the State. Analysis has not been completed but pre- 

 liminary conclusions are as follows: (1) The best incomes can be obtained by 

 farmers when they combine non-farm work, such as retailing of their produce, 

 selling grain or machinery, or working off the farm, with their farm operations; 

 (2) In 1940 poultry paid better than dairy, and dairy better than vegetable; (3) 

 Farmers on the whole know where to borrow money at reasonable rates; (4) 

 Farmers borrow as little as possible and although many could use more capital 

 they have restricted their borrowing, not because the money isn't available, nor 

 because their credit standing isn't satisfactory, but because difficulties of repay- 

 ment outweigh the advantage of increased income due to the investment; (5) In 

 spite of what appears to many as a chronic lew income for farm operators, farmers 

 do continue to accumulate an estate in Massachusetts; (6) Tenancy (100 percent 

 rented farms) is low, part ownership and part rent occurs on more than a third 

 of the farms; (7) About two-thirds of the farms have mortgages, and on about 

 one out of every three mortgaged farms the mortgage amounts to over half of 

 what the farmer estimates his farm is worth; (8) The ability of the operator is 

 probably the most important variable in farm operation. The better operators 

 achieve greater success primarily because they have: (a) Good size of business, 

 (b) efficient use of labor, (c) above average crop and livestock production, and 

 (d) good balanced use of all resources (diversity). 



Land Tenure in Massachusetts. (A. H. Lindsey and Edward Collins.) The 

 United States Census does not give a complete picture of land tenure in Massa- 

 chusetts. The 6 percent of tenancy reported by the Census refers to leased 

 whole farms. Our survey shows that another 31 percent of farm owners rent 

 land in addition to their own. This may be properly termed "field renting." 



Six percent of the farms available for lease is not sufficient to provide oppor- 

 tunity for prospective owners to use farm tenancy as a "rung" in the agricultural 

 ladder in achieving ownership. The most popular way of earning an equity for 

 the purchase price of a farm was to work as an industrial laborer. 



