BEST TYPE OF FARMING 



795 



prises often entails considerable expense in improvements or in the equip- 

 ment of the farm, as well as necessitating the training of labor to meet the 

 demands of the new enterprise. Changes in the type of farming must, 

 therefore, be rather gradual. 



Markets. — The distance from market or shipping point often deter- 

 mines the character of product to be grown. Soil and climate may be 

 admirably adapted to the production of potatoes, but if the farm is some 

 distance from the market or shipping point the cost of marketing may be 

 too great to make production of potatoes profitable. The character of 

 road between the farm and market is also a factor. The cost of hauling 

 on poor, hilly roads may be two or three times as great as on level macadam 



Intensive Farming on a Large Scale. 1 



roads. The better the road, the further one may be from market and 

 yet be successful. The prices of wheat and hay near large Eastern markets 

 are better than in the West. Local conditions may be favorable to the 

 production of both crops, but the difference in prices of the two commodities 

 in the two localities will be greater in case of hay. This often makes it 

 advisable for the eastern farmer to produce hay rather than wheat. 



Market milk which must be delivered daily cannot be hauled long- 

 distances to market with profit. Many farmers spend too much time in 

 the delivery of small quantities of milk. Often the time spent is worth 

 as much as the receipts from the milk sold. A part of this difficulty may be 

 overcome by co-operation and hauling milk in full loads, thus reducing 

 the cost of hauling. 



Transportation. — It is a fundamental principle that products cheaply 



1 Courtesy of Wallace's Farmer, Sioux City, Iowa. 



