94 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 240 



A study of these factors shows tliat on farm 1 lialf of the potatoes had 

 followed potatoes for several j'ears, while on farm 10 the soil was fall-plowed 

 sod. The manure and fertilizer applications were a little heavier on farm I. 

 Both men planted their own seed. Farm 10 planted less because No. 2 potatoes 

 were used. More spraying was done on farm 10 and farm 1 had some disease. 



Comparative Cost Statements for Tico Seekonk Groxcers. 



Comparative cost statements for farms 42 and -53 in the Seekonk area 

 are shown. Rates similar to those in the previous cost statements are used 

 for the non-cash items, except that land is estimated at $20.00. No charge 

 has been included for machinery. This would be higher on farm 42 than on 

 farm 53, for a planter, sprayer, and digger were used; while everytliing was 

 done liy hand on farm 53. (It is estimated that tlie annual charge for these 

 machines would not have exceeded ."filO.OO ])er acre on the 10 acres grown on 

 farni 42.) 



Table 14.- — Comparative Cost Statements. Seekonk. 



On this basis tlie cost per acre was higher on farm .53 than on farm 42, 

 due almost altogether to the difference in man labor; and the cost per bushel 

 was still higher because of the lower yield. Careful study of the records of 

 the two farms and a knowledge of the soils indicates that the soil on fanii 

 .';3 has been more heavily cropped and is in poor jihysical condition. The 

 grower on farm 42 has paid more attention to rotation and has used rye for 

 a cover crop. Both Green Mountains and Cobblers were raised on farm 53 

 and the Green Mountains did not do well. They yielded about 133 bushels as 

 compared with about 160 bushels per acre for the Cobblers. 



The average farm price for all the potatoes sold on farm 42 was $1.25 

 and on farm 53, $1.40, the difference being due to the Green Mountains raised 

 on farm 53. Thus the margin between selling price and the costs we have 

 considered was 42 cents on farm 42 and on farm 53 it was 7 cents per bushel. 



Other comparisons can easily be made between different farms by applying 

 cost rates to the inputs of labor and materials on those farms. It need hardly 

 he said that the foregoing statements for the cost of potatoes are presented 

 merely as suggestions. They are designed primarily to show one of the methods 

 by which such data can be used. The organization of a farming program, 

 including the management of a particular enterprise, such as the potato crop, 

 is a problem peculiar to each farm. 



