FARM MANAGEMENT 377 



322. Improvements. It is nearly always cheaper to 

 buy a farm with improvements than it is to improve one, 

 provided one can secure the buildings and other improve- 

 ments that are satisfactory. One exception is in the case 

 of paint. A coat of paint nearly always increases the 

 selling price more than it costs. 



323. Other Factors Affecting Farm Values. There are 

 a large number of other items of great importance that 

 can only be mentioned here. Climate, healthfulness, dis- 

 tance to market, roadways, markets, shipping facilities, 

 .mail delivery, telephone, churches, schools, granges, water 

 supply, taxes, and many more factors, affect the value of 

 the farm and the profits that can be made from it. 



324. Working Capital. Finally, it must be said that 

 one should, if possible, have a fair-sized farm, and, at 

 the same time, have sufficient capital to equip it. For 

 most types of farming, the equipment and supplies will 

 call for half as much money as is invested in the farm 

 and improvements. For some kinds of farming, as truck- 

 growing, more working capital is needed, and for some, 

 as grain-farming, less is necessary. One of the common 

 causes of failure in city or country is the investment of 

 too much of the capital in fixed forms. 



FARM LABOR 



If mankind consumed all that it produced, there would 

 be no wealth. If a country is wealthy, it indicates that 

 human energy is used effectively. The more effectively 

 labor is used, the higher-priced it becomes. The more 

 efficient farmers become, the fewer we need. If one man 



