4 N. H. Agr. Experiment Station [Bulletin 275 



been included in tlie farm management sun^ey in 1930 cooperated in 

 this study by keeping records of receipts and expenses and furnishing 

 additional infomiation as requested. Mr. C. W. Harris, Jr., was sta- 

 tioned at AVoodsville for more than a year, supervising the record 

 keeping and obtaining the additional data needed to interpret the fi- 

 nancial records. Thirty-eight records were completed. 



Early in the summer of 1931 a record of the production, receipts, 

 and expenses was obtained from each fanner for the previous year, 

 so that by April, 1932, tliree consecutive years of production and fi- 

 nancial records were available on each of the 38 farms. In addition 

 a field map was made of each farm for the 1931 crop year, plans 

 were drawn of the barn arrangement, feed records were carefully 

 checked, labor records were taken on the more important operations, 

 including some detailed time and motion studies on chores; pasture 

 and crop conditions were noted, and general notes were kept about 

 each fann. 



In this detailed study of 38 farms no attempt has been made to 

 determine statistically the influence of the different factors on income. 

 Following a general survey of over 400 fanns in this same area the 

 findings of which concur with those of hundreds of similar investiga- 

 tions in other states, this study by a detailed examination of indi- 

 vidual farms seeks to determine how individual farmers attained or 

 failed to attain high rank in such factors as production per man and 

 production per cow. 



It is evident that on any one fann, the influence of a favorable fac- 

 tor such as good production per cow may be wholly or partially offset 

 by unfavorable factors. The relationship of all the separate factors 

 to each other and to income is veiy complicated, and while variations 

 in any one separately may not indicate the entire story, to study one 

 at a time is the simplest procedure. However, one must have con- 

 stantly in mind that the relationshijis of each separate item studied to 

 other factors is extremely complicated and difficult to measure. 



In the follo\\'ing pages the objective is to study and account for 

 variations from farm to farm in such factors as milk production per 

 cow, crop production and production per man. 



Weather Conditions During the Period of This Study 



During the 1931 crop year rainfall was generally favorable for good 

 pasture and crop yields. Similar conditions prevailed during the pre- 

 ceding two years. The winter of 1931-1932 was unusually open, al- 

 though this probably did not affect milk ])roduction. 



SUMMARY OF THE FARM BUSINESS FOR THREE YEARS 



Changes in prices of products bought and sold by Grafton County 

 fanners during the three consecutive years under consideration are 

 clearly shown in the fann business summaries. 



Table 1 shows the average results of the 38 fanns on which records 

 were obtained for the three consecutive years. The value of land and 

 buildings was kept constant for the whole period but repairs and de- 

 preciation were included under expenses. The total capital remained 

 on the average at practically a constant figure. 



