ELECTRICITY ON NEW ENGLAND FARMS 



The 160,000 farms in New England according to estimates by the United States 

 Department of Agriculture require more than 1.000,000 horse power to carry on 

 operations. This is an average of 6.7 horse power per farm and includes only 

 the power of work animals, gas engines, steam engines, electric, wind and water 

 motors. If statistics for the country as a whole may be taken, approximately 

 one third of this amount is used in stationary farm operations, for which elec- 

 tricity as generated and distributed by electric companies is a possible source of 

 power. The figure does not include household equipment, lighting and human 

 labor necessarj" to perform many farm and home tusks in which electric current 

 might conceivably be utilized. 



In view of the rapid expansion of electric power throughoul the country the 

 questions arise: What percent of the human, animal and machine labor involved 

 on these farms may be profitably performed with electricity as energy? How 

 much of an electric load can be built up on representative New England farms'? 

 What appliances can be economically used on such farms'.' And will the result- 

 inn use of electricity be sufficient to pay power companies an adequate return 

 on lines extended into the rural sections? In order to answer such questions 

 experimental work was started m 1925 oh seven representative farms in different 

 sections of New Hampshire with a view to collecting data which would be ap- 

 plicable to New England in genital. 



These farms, comprising dairy, fruit, poultry and general purpose farms were 

 selected and equipped with appliances to determine what limits in quantity of 

 electricity can be economically and efficiently used in their operations. 



The equipment installed is metered in such a way that detailed records can 

 be secured each month for each piece of equipment. In some cases comparative 

 tests with other forms of power are made. Sixty major and 40 minor pieces of 

 equipment are now in use on the farms covering 36 or more distinct operations 

 and involving 50 or more different makes. Two of the farms were previously 

 well equipped and have, therefore, furnished 16 months' records. In the remain- 

 ing cases the period covered b} r the records to date varies from three to nine 

 months. 



The farms comprising the experimental group were selected with considerable 

 care with particular emphasis on the number of operations that could be exper- 

 imented with and the intention of the farmer to exert himself in furnishing 

 accurate and full information. These farms cannot, be classed as average farms 

 of New England. They are considerably above the average in productiveness, 

 man-power and industry. For reasons that need not be enlarged upon here, it 

 was necessary to select such a type to provide opportunities for testing out a 

 greater variety of operations. On the other hand, none is in the nature of a 

 "gentleman's estate" or endowed with an undue amount of capital or wealth. 

 They are typical of the substantial and successful farm operated with modern, 

 will-balanced methods. 



♦This is a progress report of the New Hampshire experiment on rural elec- 

 trification for the. New England territory carried on by the University of New 

 Hampshire Experiment Station in cooperation with the National and State Com- 

 mittees on the Relation of Electricity to Agriculture for the two year period 

 ending December 31, 1926. Future reports, covering groups of appliances and 

 their operating characteristics in greater detail and for a longer period of time, 

 are planned. 



Appreciation is here expressed to the manufacturers of equipment, cooperating 

 farmers, agricultural organizations, electrical interests and others who have gen- 

 erously given of their support, financial and otherwise, which has made this 

 work possible. Cooperating farmers are: D. T. Atwood, Franklin; R. T. Gould, 

 Contoocook; J. R. Graham. Boscawen; R. E. Holmes. Stratham; S. D. Sterling, 

 Dover; N. F. Stearns, West Lebanon; and G. E. Townsend, Salem. 



