MARGINAL 

 COST I 



280 300 320 340 i 360 i 380 



TOTAL OUTPUT PER ACRE (DOLLARS) I 



I I I 



I I I 



4 2 3 6 



FREQUENCY OF PICKING (TIMES PER WEEK) 



Figure 6. Marginal cost curves per dollar of output, 1951 season. 



the low marginal output of labor after this point and hence the high cost 

 of the additional value of output resulting from picking very frequently. 

 In this case the operator would find it unprofitable to produce more than 

 $350 of output with labor at $.50 per hour, or S327 of output with labor 

 at $1.00 per hour. These outputs are equivalent to labor inputs of about 



13 



