'December, 1931] Dairy Farming in Grafton County 85 



MiU-ing macltmes were charged directly to cows. The expenses for 

 maintenance and the inventories of milking machines were obtained 

 from the farmers. The present value subtracted from the original cost 

 was divided by the number of years in service to get depreciation for 

 one year. 



Use of other equipment was based on its average value and was com- 

 puted at 19 per cent for all costs. This corresponds to the costs for all 

 farm machinery on these farms. The average inventory value of this 

 equipment for 414 farms was only $60. 



Interest on cows and bulls as well as on a small amount of supplies was 

 charged at 6 per cent. These are the only places in this study where 

 any rate except 5 per cent has been used. 



Taxes on livestock were very difficult for the farmer to separate. A 

 blanket tax rate for all cows was computed in the office as follows : 

 The tax rate in each town was multiplied by the corresponding num- 

 ber of farm records obtained in that town to get a weighted average 

 tax rate of 3.09 per cent. This was adjusted to a difference in valua- 

 tion of cows on April 1, 1929, as listed by the tax assessors and as 

 enumerated in this survey to a corresponding figure of 2.05 per cent 

 for use here. This rate was applied to cows and bulls, with the excep- 

 tion of purebred registered sires which are exempt from taxes under 

 Section 17 of Chapter 60 of the Public Laws of New Hampshire. 



Miscellaneous costs included medicine, fly spray, solution for the 

 milker, association fees or dues, registration fees and other similar 

 items. They were apportioned by the farmer to the cost of milk or 

 otherwise at the time of giving his record. 



Ice. The costs of cutting, hiring teams or special labor for getting 

 ice for farm purposes, in contrast to household use, were charged di- 

 rectly to coAvs. The time of regular farm labor and teams was included 

 in the labor on cows. 



Electricity charges for farm purposes were separated by the opera- 

 tor from those for household uses. They were apportioned in the office 

 to cows as seemed most equitable, taking into consideration the pres- 

 ence of any special electrical equipment like milking machines and 

 . refrigerators. 



Milk used on the farm included that fed to calves or other stock and 

 some waste, as well as all milk and milk equivalents of other dairy 

 products used by the operators' and landlords' families. The opera- 

 tors' estimates were used for the value of this milk. 



Calves were credited to cows at value at birth as estimated by the 

 operators. Calves to be kept for bulls, for cows, or for veals were kept 

 separately as indicated in Table 75. This table also shows other details 

 concerning the cow enterprise for 414 farms. 



Manure. The amount and value of manure produced per farm was 

 estimated by each operator. These figures have been previously given 

 in Table 17. Manure was credited on all farms at the average value 

 of $1.89 per ton. 



