6 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 369 



Labor costs were analyzed by various operations and the greatest amount of 

 work was in cultivating and weeding at an average of 187 hours per acre or 37 

 percent of all man-labor costs. Clipping the onions required 106 hours, and 

 setting 97 hours per acre. Of the total man labor, 56 percent was expended before 

 the time of harvest. 



This study was published by the department in mimeographed form, entitled 

 ''Inputs and Costs of Producing Set Onions in Hatfield, Massachusetts." 



Labor Saving Methods and Techniques on Vegetable Farms. (C. R. Creek 

 and Richard Elliott.) Data were collected for this study by timing the various 

 operations in the packing of celery on 15 market garden farms in three areas in 

 Massachusetts. Duplicate sets of data were obtained on stripping, washing, 

 wrapping, and packing celery on each farm. 



The size of the crew working in the packing shed ranged from two to twelve 

 persons. The number of boxes of celery (one dozen bunches) which were packed 

 per farm ranged from 15 to 117. On two farms 13 boxes were packed per hour 

 for each person working and on two smaller farms only 5 boxes were packed 

 per man per hour. The other farms ranged in efficiency from 7.5 to 12 boxes 

 per man per hour. 



The number of boxes of celery which were packed depended upon the efficiency 

 of labor, the size and quality of the celery, the arrangement of tubs and benches 

 in the washroom, and the method of handling the celery. The greatest number 

 of boxes was put up by crews of young men who worked rapidly for a longer time 

 and were more dexterous, especially in wrapping. Some bunches required three 

 or four stalks of celery instead of two on farms where dry weather or blight had 

 affected the celery. On those farms where the benches, tubs, and tables were 

 arranged in a row the greatest number of boxes were packed per hour and per 

 man. On farms where extra care was taken to pack celery of high quality more 

 people were working and the output was lower per person. 



A preliminary report on this project was published in the Massachusetts 

 Commercial Vegetable Grower for November, 1939. 



Competitive Factors Influencing the Supply of Market Milk and Cream in 

 Massachusetts. (A. A. Brown and J. E. Donley.) Milk marketing continues 

 to command major attention. Studies in the Springfield milk shed are nearing 

 completion. Two reports have been recently published: "Milk Cartage in the 

 Southwick-Agawam Area of the Springfield Milk Shed," Bulletin 363; and 

 "Product-Costs of Milk to Dealers in the Springfield Area, 1935," Bulletin 365. 



The determination and appraisal of the location and characteristics of the 

 supply within the milk shed are the current and final phases of the investigation 

 for this market. Significant findings to date are numerous. Three might be 

 specifically mentioned. 



First, it has been found that the bulk of the dairy farmers make low average 

 daily deliveries to the market. Analysis of 1183 records of full-time Grade B 

 shippers showed that 21 percent had a daily average of 86 pounds (one 40-quart 

 can) or less; and 60 percent a daily average of 172 pounds (two 40-quart cans) 

 or less. The weighted average for the 710 shippers in the group was 103 pounds, 

 with a total range from 17 to 1550. Using the average farm price of $2,465 per 

 hundredweight for the milk shed, these shippers would receive a mean gross 

 farm income from milk of $2.54 per day. The significance of a small volume of 

 business is in no way diminished even though the maximum price applicable, the 

 Class I price of $3.25, were used. Should the resultant amount of $3.35 be the 

 major source of income, it would still be insufficient to satisfy dairymen. Any 

 milk-marketing program should recognize this characteristic of production as 

 a major premise. 



