THE GRADES OF THE FACTORS OF PRODUCTION 125 



produce 15 per cent less milk under inefficient care than under 

 efficient care, where other factors are the same. Fifteen per 

 cent of the product of efficient cows would be a greater loss 

 than the same percentage loss on a low efficiency cow. Further- 

 more, in the handling of a herd of high efficiency the efficiency 

 of the animals will fall from decade to decade under low effi- 

 ciency management and improve under high efficiency manage- 

 ment, so that regardless of first choice the efficiency of the cow 

 tends to correspond to that of her keeper. 



It will readily be recognized that gradation of land and equip- 

 ments, as well as men, are very different for different purposes. 

 To avoid confusion on this point it is best to recognize the 

 presence of gardeners, dairymen, grain farmers, beef men, hog 

 men, sheep men, cotton farmers, tobacco farmers, and various 

 combinations of these such as are found in the various types of 

 farming in the United States to-day. Each farmer falls into 

 some class with respect to type of farming. He has only to 

 consider grades of land and equipment which competition 

 among types of farming has left to his type and then choose on 

 the basis of gradation in this class in terms of his ability. 



The practical man who recognized this principle of choice 

 may properly suggest that its application is not easy for the 

 reason that it involves knowledge of one's own relative efficiency 

 as well as that of land and each of the kinds of equipment. 

 The truth is, it takes time for a farmer to find his place in the 

 system. If he ranks himself too high, losses will bring him 

 down, for he cannot compete successfully with his competitors. 

 If he rates himself too low, he makes some profit but not so much 

 as if he had the use of more efficient land and equipment. The 

 practical method is to be modest in rating one's self and gradually 

 adjust equipment to ability by taking every opportunity to 

 secure more efficient cows, horses, or machines when profits are 

 clearly increased by the change. The adjustment to land 

 qualities cannot so easily be made a gradual process. It is 

 often necessary to change farms. During the period of tenancy 

 is the time to work this point out so that when land is purchased 

 it will be of the right quality. 



