CHAPTER XLVII 

 THE CARE AND REPAIR OF FARM MACHINERY 



The efficiency of modern farm operations depends pri- 

 marily upon the successful and judicious use of improved 

 farm machinery. This fact is generally recognized. No 

 other country uses as much machinery as the United 

 States. The Census of 1910 showed that the American 

 farmer was annually buying 149,318,544 dollars' worth 

 of farm machinery. This amount was equal to over 3.3 per 

 cent of $4,499,319,838, the value of the crops raised. It is 

 possible at this time to make only a rough estimate of what 

 percentage of the farmers' profits 3.3 per cent of the value 

 of crops is. Perhaps 20 to 30 per cent would not be too large. 

 Any feature of farm management which absorbs 20 to 30 per 

 cent of the profits is well entitled to earnest consideration. 



Much has been written from time to time about the care- 

 lessness of the American farmer in caring for his machinery. 

 Various estimates have been made of the life and deprecia- 

 tion of the more important farm machines. Perhaps, in 

 many cases, these estimates have been too low; but there 

 is little doubt in the mind of the person who makes only a 

 casual investigation, that average life of most farm machines 

 is much less than it ought to be. An investigation on several 

 farms in Minnesota* indicates the average depreciation of 

 farm machines to be 7.3 per cent annually. It is to be noted 

 that this represents the most favorable conditions, since the 

 farms investigated were well managed. 



The care or management of farm machinery readily 



♦Bulletin 117, Minn. Agricultural Experiment Station. 



309 



