April, 1931] Agricultural Research in N. H., 1930 



9 



The average inventory turnover was 10.2 times in a year. As the 

 number increased an average of three times, total costs decreased 1.7 

 cents per dollar of sales. 



When weekly retail cash-store prices for grain and feeds of the same 

 standard or brand were compared at 62 stores, a great range in prices 

 was found. The largest range was 65 cents per hundred for wheat and 

 the smallest 30 cents per hundred for middlings. 



The number of employees per store averaged 3.7 persons. As yearly 

 sales per man increased from less than $20,000 to $60,000, labor costs 

 decreased two cents, total costs six cents, and gross margins five cents 

 per dollar of sales. The stores operated by one man had a higher av- 

 erage of sales per hour of occupied time than those operated by three 

 or more people. 



The business of 41 grain stores was transacted on a gross margin of 

 11.22 per cent of sales and a net profit of .46 per cent. Fifteen per cent 

 of the feed and grain sold by the grain stores of the state was marketed 



On this farm they are saving labor, one of the greatest costs in fruit growing. 

 The year before this picture was taken, three men did this spraying job. 



direct from the car door, 62 per cent at the store, and 23 per cent de- 

 livered to the customers. {Purnell Fund) 



Orchard Costs Investigated 



Each 1,000 boxes of apples in 12 southern New Hampshire orchards 

 cost an average of $322 before harvest for labor, equipment and ma- 

 terials, according to estimates following a three-year fruit-farm study, 

 the results of which are now being arranged for publication in bulletin 

 form. 



Approximately 42 per cent of this pre-harvest expense was for 

 man labor; 9 per cent for horse, truck, and tractor labor; 24 per cent 

 for fertilizer; 21 per cent for spray material. A deduction is that the 

 greatest single farm-management problems concern labor. This has led 

 to two questions: How much work should be clone on each orchard 

 operation? How can this be done most efficiently? 



