130 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



The character of the neighbors is worthy of close inspection 

 before buying a farm. The farmer cannot go it alone. He 

 has to do with his neighbors continually in one way or another. 

 The character of the people of a neighborhood will have much 

 to do with the conditions of the roads, the absence or presence 

 of noxious weeds, the cost of threshing, silo filling, and other 

 farm work which is done cooperatively. The moral standards 

 of the community as is evidenced by the prevalence of drunk- 

 enness, illegitimate children, and other evils on the negative side, 

 and in terms of good schools, effective churches, and a clean 

 social life on the positive side, should be looked into with great 

 care. The moral standards of a community stamp themselves 

 upon the younger generation. The older folks not in sympathy 

 with the standards of the community may have an opportunity 

 for doing some valuable missionary work, but unless they use 

 rare tact they may find themselves cut loose from the life of 

 the community as a result of their efforts. 



It should never be forgotten by the farmer who is trying to 

 buy a farm that he is buying a home as well as a place to work. 

 His life and that of his family may be influenced more by the 

 character of the farm and the community as a place to live 

 than by the farm as a place to make money. The richness of 

 farm life consists largely in things which money cannot buy. 



PROBLEMS 



i. If one man with a given outfit of horses, tools, and other equip- 

 ment can operate 80 acres of "N" grade land with the same outfit as 

 he can operate 100 acres of "M" grade land, which land has the 

 greater economic capacity per acre and how much greater? (It is 

 assumed in all questions that the factors are combined in the most 

 profitable proportions.) 



2. If ten men of "E" grade of economic capacity are required to 

 operate a given farm, while only seven men of "G" grade economic 

 capacity would be required, which men have the greater capacity per 

 man? How much greater? 



3. If from a given outlay for labor and equipment a given farmer 

 can secure a product worth $80 on "D" land and a product worth 



