CAPITAL-GOODS AS A FACTOR IN PRODUCTION 299 



mercial feeding stuffs. All such concentrated feeds must be accom- 

 panied by "a chemical analysis, stating the percentages it contains 

 of crude protein, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract, and ether extract, 

 all constituents to be determined by the methods adopted by the 

 association of official agricultural chemists." "The secretary of the 

 State Board of Agriculture shall publish in his annual report a correct 

 statement of all tests and analyses made, certificates filed in his office, 

 and fees received" under these acts. EDITOR. 



92. THE COST OF AN IRRATIONAL PURCHASING STANDARD 1 

 BY J. F. STEWARD 



Geographic differences as to farm requirements for machinery are 

 the source of great perplexities to the manufacturer. Oifarm wagons 

 alone one manufacturer not the largest is required to provide an 

 almost incredible number of kinds. If the kinds differed radically, 

 matters would be simplified. 



When I tell you of wheels alone 650 varieties are demanded, 500 

 running gears, and of bodies as many more, you will feel like doubting 

 the fact. Of varieties of tongues and methods of securement there 

 are very many more. And further, when you take into account the 

 number of combinations that may be demanded of this one manufac- 

 turerover 7,300 you who are not familiar with the subject may 

 think I am romancing. In one region of the country one of the many 

 kinds of body will be demanded, with a certain form of hounds or a 

 certain form of the many wheels, and so it goes. If this were hot the 

 case and it is made to be the case largely by precedent the manu- 

 facture of farm wagons would be a simple matter, and prices would 

 be materially lower. And when I say to you that the International 

 Harvester Company, in one of its types of machine, puts out no kinds 

 of binders, considered as shipment orders, you may think I am more 

 than romancing. I do not mean that they differ in principles, but the 

 varieties manufacturers are forced into by the demands must each be 

 considered as a different machine, because its parts must be assembled, 

 boxed, listed, stored, and shipped separately from all others. If I 

 were to have my way, I would try to convince the farmer that it 

 does not pay him to require that his whims be satisfied. It is in part 

 because of his whims that agricultural machinery is so expensive. I 



1 Adapted from Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 

 rgo8, Vol. II, No. 2, pp. 39-40. 



