26 



BULLETIN 41, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



RELATION OF THE SIZE OF THE FARM TO THE EFFICIENCY OF 



OPERATION. 



The size of a farm is the controlling factor in the efficient use 

 of farm labor and machinery. The old hand-labor methods prac- 

 ticed by our forefathers, which are still common in Europe, were 

 suited to a small area. Under those conditions a man needed only 

 as much land as he could properly cultivate alone. A family was 

 able to raise only a small amount above that needed for their own 

 living-. If these methods still prevailed in this country, the present 

 number of farmers would be entirely inadequate to support our urban 

 population. 



The adoption of modern machinery has enormously increased the 

 efficiency of the farm worker. Fewer men are now needed in the 

 farming districts, and those not needed are able to devote themselves 

 to useful work in the cities and towns. As a result of this condition 

 more of the benefits of civilization are available to the farmer. 

 Although the farmers are fewer in number, the production per man 

 is increasing. 



If hand labor could compete with machine work, farm wages would 

 be much less and the product per man proportionately smaller. Our 

 agricultural civilization would then gravitate toward the peasant 

 conditions existing in some parts of Europe, where the agriculture 

 is developed on the basis of the maximum product per acre of land 

 instead of the maximum product per man. 



RELATION OF THE SIZE OF THE FARM TO THE USE OF MAN LABOR. 



In Table XIX the farms are classified according to their total 

 area. The cost of labor includes all paid labor, board of workmen, 

 family labor, and the estimated value of the operator's labor. The 

 value of the family, or unpaid, labor is explained on page 9. The 

 tenants estimated their work as worth $3C7, and the owners estimated 

 theirs at $363, or an average of $365 for all the farmers. 



The term " crop area," as used in the following tables, includes all 

 tillable area except permanent pasture. 



Table XIX. — Relation of the size of the farm to the cost of man laoor per acre 

 on 700 farms in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. 



Area. 



Num- 

 ber of 

 farms. 



Total labor (includ- 

 ing estimate of 

 farmer's own la- 

 bor). 



Area. 



Num- 

 ber of 

 farms. 



Total labor (includ- 

 ing estimate of 

 farmer's own la- 

 bor). 





Per till- 

 able acre. 



Per crop 

 acre. 



Per till- 

 able acre. 



Per crop 

 acre. 



40 acres and less 



45 

 114 

 120 

 130 

 93 

 75 

 35 

 37 



$8.18 

 6.54 

 4.98 

 4. 37 

 4.21 

 1. 20 



3.94 

 3.41 



$10. 08 

 7.28 

 5.57 

 4.89 

 4.74 

 4.69 

 4.40 

 3.98 



321 to 400 acres 



401 to 660 acres 



51)1 to 720 acres 



721 to 1,250 acres 



Total or average. . 



30 

 12 

 5 

 4 



$3.36 

 3.12 

 3.80 

 3.50 



$3.88 

 3.88 



SI to 120 acres 



121 to KiO acres 



161 to 200 acres 



201 to 240 acres 



211 to 280 acres 



2S1 to 320 acres 



1 4.41 

 5.29 



700 



3.74 



4.63 



