FARM MANAGEMENT PRACTICE OF CHESTER COUNTY, PA. f> 



This area was chosen for the following reasons: The soils of the 

 area are extremely uniform in character, thus giving uniformity 

 to the farm practice of the region and permitting comparisons to 

 be made without the disturbing element of variation in type of soil : 

 the region has long since passed the stage of pioneer farming; and 

 the forces which control type of farming have had sufficient time 

 to assert themselves and produce a highly stable agriculture, which 

 now changes only when economic or other conditions change. The 

 local agriculture therefore lends itself admirably to a study of the 

 fundamental principles of farm organization. 



In this study the business of 643 farms was analyzed, a record 

 being made of the value of all farm property; the proportion of 

 capital invested in land, buildings, live stock, implements and ma- 

 chinery, supplies, and cash for current expenses; the sources of 

 income and the amount from each; the nature and amount of ex- 

 penditures ; and numerous other items bearing on profit in farming. 

 Before entering upon the discussion of the data obtained from these 

 farms it is necessary to consider the local geographic conditions 

 which have a bearing on the local agriculture. 



TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AND MARKETS. 



Figure 2 shows the survey area on a larger scale, in which are shown 

 the transportation lines, the country roads, and the township bounda- 

 ries. The dots on this map represent the situation of the farms 

 studied in this survey. It will be observed that one line of railway 

 passes through the area in a general easterly and westerly direc- 

 tion, near the center of the area, to Philadelphia, which is 38 miles 

 from Avondale, near the center of the area. This is the main artery 

 :>f commerce for the area. Another railroad runs through Avondale 

 in a general northerly-southerly direction. This is a crossroad con- 

 necting main roads which run north and south of the survey area, 

 3ut it carries some milk to Philadelphia by way of its connection 

 to the north. There is another railway bordering the northeast- 

 ern boundary of the area over which some milk is shipped to 

 Philadelphia. 



A trolley line begins at West Grove, near the center of the area, 

 md passes eastward through Avondale and Kennett Square, then 

 southeastward to Wilmington, Del. This trolley carries a consid- 

 erable quantity of milk to Wilmington. From Kennett Square another 

 trolley line runs north and then northeast to West Chester, the count}' 

 seat of Chester County, which lies 4 miles from the edge of the area, 

 rhis line is devoted almost wholly to passenger traffic. Wilmington, 

 Del., lies 15 miles to the southeast of Avondale, while Baltimore, 

 Md., lies 65 miles to the southwest. A few truck farmers in the area 

 tiaul their produce by wagon to Wilmington. 



