8 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 405 



Table 7. — Frequency Distribution of Purchased Farms Showing Average Annual 



Change in Net Worth and Way in Which Change Came About 



on 177 Massachusetts Farms. 



Annual Change in Net Worth Total 



(Dollars) Farms Average 



Reason for Change in Net Worth Increase 



' Decrease Increase Num- Per- in Net 



ber cent Worth 



0- 101- 201 (Dollars) 



100 201 and 

 over 



Number of Farms 

 Increase in price of land and buildings 



Decrease in mortgage 11 12 27 50 28 439 



No change in mortgage 7 (a) 9 (b) 12 (b) 28 16 413 



Increase in mortgage 2 18 9 14 43 24 206 



No change in price of land and buildings 



Decrease in mortgage 4 2 5 11 6 191 



No change in mortgage 8 (b) 8 5 



Increase in mortgage 3 3 2 -87 



Decrease in price of land and buildings 



Decrease in mortgage 12 9 3 24 14 -67 



No change in mortgage 6 (c) 6 3 -101 



Increase in mortgage 4 4 2 -195 



Total farms 



Number 27 57 35 58 177 



Percent 15 32 20 3i 100 



Average increase in net worth $233 



(a) 4 farms not mortgaged at time either of purchase or of interview. 



(b) 3 farms not mortgaged at time either of purchase or of interview. 



(c) 1 farm not mortgaged at time either of purchase or of interview. 



If it is assumed that a farmer starts out with a 50 percent debt and in 30 year;, 

 is going to own free and clear an average farm which will be valued at $9,000, 

 then less than half of these farmers would make it, since $150 a year would be 

 required. 



Table 8 shows a frequency distribution of the prices paid for farms during three 

 periods. Over 80 percent of the farms priced at more than $9,000 when acquired 

 were purchased during the period 1916- 1930. The proportion of higher priced 

 farms, 20 percent, was greater during this period than during any other. 



Table 8. — Frequency Distribution of Purchase Price of \11 Massachusetts 

 Farms, by Periods When Farms Were Aacquired. 



Table 9 shows the degree of success which farmers have had in increasing their 

 net worth. 



