Feb., 1926] PROGRESS OF AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS 37 



•'What does the load-curve for 24 hours on a farm fully electrified 

 look like-?" 



•'What is the current consumption for individual machines, operations 

 and processes — what are their 'maximum demands/ etc.?" 



"What is the distribution of the use of current throughout the month, 

 season and year for particular operations and the farm as a whole?" 



"AMiat are the characteristics of a load from an average dairy farm — 

 fruit farm — poultry farm — general purpose farm — if they use the current 

 to their practical limit?" 



From the standpoint of the farmer, his attitude is somewhat as follows: 



We are in need of electricity and want to use it. 



If the total cost for this service is reasonable, we believe it will be 

 profitable in the saving of labor, hired help, etc. 



We would be willing to use as much current and as many devices as 

 are consistent with efficiency and economy, but we do not know now how 

 to do it. 



The question of what economies and efficiencies the farmer derives 

 from the individual pieces of equipment used to build up this load is, 

 of course, of first importance. Such questions as the following are of 

 great interest to him: 



How will the use of electricity bear on the hired man problem? 



How will it affect the costs of production? 



Will it be possible to have city conveniences without undue expense 

 or even at a saving over old methods? 



Will this help to keep the children on the farm? 



How will electricity reduce the drudgery and how much can the farmer 

 afford to pay for conveniences? 



What is the value of such equipment from the standpoints of safety, 

 fire hazards, accidents, etc.? 



Topics of particular interest to manufacturers of equipment are such 

 as the following: 



1. A comparison of electrical operation as against non-electrical with 

 the chief considerations — economy, efficiency and convenience. 



2. The determination of how many operations can be electrified. 



3. What equipment already available is of practical value? 



4. W^hat equipment not now available is there a practical need for? 



5. What are the barriers and limiting factors to these electrified 

 processes? 



These and many other questions that arise may find a solution, or 

 partial solution, in the results obtained. 



In an attempt to get these two largest industries of the country inter- 

 connected, the National Electric Light Association met with representa- 

 tives of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers and American 

 Farm Bureau Federation to discuss the possibilities of solving this eco- 

 nomic and engineering problem through co-operative efforts. The result 

 of this meeting was the formation of a national organization known as 

 the Committee on the Relation of Electricity to Agriculture with rep- 

 resentatives from each of the following organizations: American Farm 

 Bureau Federation, National Electric Light Association, Power Farming 



