THE YOUNG FARMER 



therefore, the former worked about 

 hours, while the latter were employed but 

 five and one-half hours. The cost of food 

 was estimated at $54; cost of shoeing, 

 repairs of harness and stable supplies at 

 $6.50; and the cost of feeding, grooming 

 and cleaning of stables at $23.50, or a total 

 cost of $84 per year. Nothing was charged 

 for interest or depreciation, but the expense 

 of feeding and caring for three colts was 

 included in the estimates given. The an- 

 nual expense of maintaining a horse was 

 practically the same in both states, but the 

 cost per hour of labor performed was less 

 because of the possibility of employing the 

 horses at productive labor a larger portion 

 of the time. Too much emphasis cannot be 

 placed upon the need of planning a farm 

 organization which will give continuous 

 employment to horses as well as to men in 

 order to realize the most profitable returns. 

 An industrial system that makes it necessary 

 to maintain work animals three days in 

 order to secure one day's work falls far 

 short of an ideal. 



194 



