28 



BULLETIN 41, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



RELATION OF THE SIZE OF THE FARM TO THE EFFICIENCY OF MACHINERY. 



In the regions studied, small farms do not permit as efficient use of 

 machinery as those of medium size. The same laws which govern 

 the use of farm labor apply to machinery. Land enough to allow the 

 maximum use of machinery is the keynote to the whole situation. 

 A certain equipment is needed and this is much the same on a G0- 

 acre as on a 160-acre farm. A farm may be of such size as to re- 

 quire two sets of certain implements, yet not large enough to permit 

 the maximum use of each. 



Figure 5 illustrates the use of modern machinery and large teams 

 for farm work. These are typical of the expansive type of farming 

 found on the broad, level areas in the North Central States. 



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Fir;. 5. — A sulky gang plow drawn by four horses. Modern machines with large teams, 

 such as this, are used throughout these regions and utilize labor efficiently. 



In Table XXI is given the machinery investment per crop acre on 

 the different-sized farms. 



Table XXI. — Relation of the size of the farm to the efficiency of machinery on 

 100 farms in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. 





Farms. 



Value of machinery. 



Size of (arm. 



Number. 



Average 



size (acres). 



Average 

 crop area 

 (acres). 



Total per 

 farm. 



Per crop 

 acre. 





45 

 114 

 120 

 130 

 93 

 75 

 35 

 37 

 30 

 12 

 5 

 4 



36. (i 

 71.4 

 107.2 

 I ID. 3 

 183.6 

 227.4 

 262. 6 

 305. 6 

 364. 1 

 474. S 

 652.6 

 991.25 



26.4 

 56.7 

 86.0 

 122. 1 

 143. 4 

 181.9 

 211.2 



233. 8 

 298.0 



368.6 

 555.4 

 612.0 



$133 

 241 

 279 

 345 

 413 

 452 

 718 

 561 

 747 

 690 

 790 

 1,313 



$5. 04 

 4 25 



i'-ros 



SI to 120 acres 



3 24 



121 to 160 acres 



2 82 



161 to 200 acres 



2.88 

 2.44 

 3.40 

 2.40 

 2. 51 

 1 87 



201 to 240 acres 



211 to J 



281 to320 acre 



321 to 100 acres 



mi to 660 acres 



661 to 720 acres 





721 to 1,250 acres 



2.15 







700 



179.6 



14° 8 3S4 



2.69 









