SUMMARY 



1. The three Massachusetts farms in this study are referred to as Farms 

 A, B, and C, and the operators as Mr. A, Mr. B, and Mr. C, resjiectively. 

 These are actual farms, and the data used in the analysis were secured from 

 records kept on these farms. 



2. Farm A is a one-man unit with 11 cows and 150 bearing apple trees. 

 The operator has considered various plans for improving his earning power. 

 After a careful analysis of the possibilities, he now plans to buy a milking 

 machine and enlarge the dairy herd to 16 cows. He has enough barn room 

 and can produce enough hay and silage for this number of cows. 



3. Farm B is a two-man unit. There are 16 cows and 250 bearing apple 

 trees. The operator also keeps a small poultry flock and raises young stock 

 for sale. His long-time farm program will finally result in a much larger 

 bearing orchard. In the meantime, however, the net farm income must be in- 

 creased in some other way. A careful analysis of the business finally con- 

 vinced the operator that the most profitable procedure would be to increase 

 the dairy herd to 24 cows. To secure enough barn space and roughage feed, 

 he plans to dispose of all the young stock and depend on purchased replace- 

 ments. A budget worked out on this basis sliows a substantial increase in net 

 returns. 



4. Farm C is a large three-man unit with 21 cows and 1000 bearing apple 

 trees. The outstanding achievement on this farm has been the careful plan- 

 ning of an efficient labor program. Seasonal work is fitted together to avoid 

 conflicting periods. Individual jobs have been analyzed to develop labor-saving 

 methods. Only relatively minor adjustments in organization and operation 

 are planned for the future. 



