June, 1932] Electricity on New England Farms 35 



In 1929 the very definite enlargement of plant and equipment raised 

 the consumption to 7,000 kw.-hrs. or 133% over the year 1928. Nine- 

 teen hundred thirty showed a 50% increase over 1929, when over 

 10,000 kw.-hrs. was used. The reaction of the net rate to these two 

 increases is seen in the reduction to 7 1-5 cents in 1929, followed by a 

 drop to 6 3-10 cents. With the exception of 1929 when the decline in 

 unit cost was significant, this particular schedule reacts to curtail 

 rather than induce liberal use. Over and above this it appears that 

 the entire range of this rate does not fit rural service, inasmuch as 

 10,000 kw.-hrs. per year, consumed by one unit, warrants a much better 

 last block than 6 3-10 cents per kw.-hr. 



Poultry Farm Characteristics Still Indefinite 



"While it appears that a very sizeable quantity load can be built up on 

 poultry farms, the quality of this load, judging from the results ob- 

 tained on this farm, is in direct contrast with what has come to be con- 

 sidered the agricultural load characteristic, i. e., a peak load in the 

 summer months. A glance at the curves in Fig. 9 shows the sway- 

 back original curve for 1925, followed by improvement in 1926-27-28 

 with a tendency to peak in July or August. That this tendency would 

 merely be more accentuated as the load was increased was the pre- 

 liminary conclusion held until 1928. This would hold true if the 

 scale of operations had remained as described in Bulletin No. 228. 



With the concentrated and specialized development of baby chick, 

 egg and broiler production, all of which are cold weather operations, 

 the balance maintained with routine farm production was upset, with 

 the resulting shift in peak load to the winter months. The principal 

 applications causing this peak are poultry lights — used increasingly 

 as the daylight hours decrease — the change from coal to electric incu- 

 bators and the brooding of broilers. Inasmuch as the big increase in 

 stock comes at this time, the total equipment of the farm is also placed 

 under a generally heavier load. 



Dividing the equipment we find that group 1, having maximum use in 

 winter, are lights — house, barn and poultry — water pump, feed-mixer, 

 incubators and brooders (refer to Table 8). Group 2, having maximum 

 use in summer, has shrunk to a relatively small number, viz, household 

 refrigeration and booster service of the hot water heater.* The remain- 

 ing equipment falls into Group 3, having generally negative qualities 

 with but slight tendency to build up seasonally. The predominance 

 of use of equipment in Group 1, is evident in this case, which makes 

 self-explanatory the winter peak. 



*Up to 1928 a 5 h. p. portable motor was used for the hay hoist, wood 

 sawing and like sundry chores. Due to the fact that a demand charge of 

 $7.50 per month ($1.50 per h. p.) was continued in effect by the company re- 

 gardless of infrequent and intermittent use, this equipment was discarded 

 and a tractor purchased. Unless it is desired to keep large h. p. motors (over 

 2 h. p.) off the rural lines, this type of demand charge should go into the 

 discard as being wholly unsuitable for rural use. 



