20 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 439 



The comparative cost of any t>pe of land improvement between machinery 

 hired at a specified rate per hour or on a contract basis per unit was generally 

 lower by the hourly rate particularly where woodland and brush were cleared. 

 For example, rather heavy growth and stones were cleared on stony loam soil at 

 $90 per acre at the hourly rate as contrasted to clearing of lighter growth on a 

 sandy soil for a $125 per acre contract price. In the same way, stone wall re- 

 moval with the bulldozer alone was contracted at $1 per linear yard while on a 

 neighboring farm at the rate of $6 per hour the cost was 75 cents per yard to bury 

 the wall. A contributing factor to these higher costs was the tendency of com- 

 pany farms and owners of rural estates to contract for their land improvement 

 on a unit basis. Improvement work on commercial farms whether dairy, fruit, 

 tobacco, or potato was more thoroughly planned and closely supervised than 

 on the rural estates and costs were seldom excessive when measured against 

 benefits accrued. A few instances were observed where land was cleared on a 

 marginal type of soil at great expense and the cost could never be returned under 

 any system of farm operation. 



ECONOMICS OF LAND CLEARING AND IMPROVEMENT ON 

 COMMERCIAL FARMS 



The costs of land improvement work are usually high on an acre basis. Total 

 costs per acre for an economic unit may be prohibitive when improvement 

 costs are added to the other capital requirements in land, buildings, livestock, 

 and equipment for a new farm. For the farmer who wants to expand his size of 

 business, the economic venture may be justified in many instances. However, 

 the question is not alone how much is the total cost; it is also what are the alter- 

 natives and the probable benefits. The costs of not making necessary adjust- 

 ments may exceed the actual costs of improvement. 



In another study, improvement in land utilization is designated as the field 

 of adjustments in Massachusetts agriculture which promises the most profitable 

 results. Many farms are inadequate in land resources, both as to area and as to 

 quality. Rough terrain, stony soils, presence ot boulders and stone walls, small 

 fields, a.nd improper drainage have delayed the mechanization which has proved 

 tc be profitable in other parts of the country. As Dr. Rozman states, "The 

 fundamental problem remains one of consolidating the scattered fields, and 



Table 2. — Requirements for 

 Standard One- 



Adjusting 100-139 Acre Farm to 

 Man Dairy Farm. 



* Standards for Massachusetts Dairy Farms- 

 State College. 



-Dept. Agr. Econ. and Farm Mgt.. Massachusetts 



