2 BULLETIN 528, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



meet the maximum demands of the rush season. It is important, 

 therefore, that the farmer contemplating a change in his cropping sys- 

 tem should have some method by which he may measure the labor 

 requirements of a proposed system to determine its feasibility under 

 his limitations as to labor and equipment. It is equally important 

 for the farmer who is already encountering difficulties through con- 

 flicting labor demands to be able to make an analysis of his system 

 with a view to making changes that will obviate these difficulties. It 

 is to give these farmers a basis upon which to plan with reference to 

 seasonal distribution of labor that this bulletin has been prepared. 



TERRITORY SURVEYED AND METHOD USED, 



The region studied was the southern part of Chester County, Pa. 

 It extends from the Maryland line on the south to the Chester valley 

 on the north, and from the more broken region in the western part 

 of the county to the vicinity of West Chester on the east. It includes 

 the region already covered by a farm-management survey 1 made by 

 this department, and, in addition, areas outside of this area having 

 similar agricultural conditions. 



This special study was conducted in the summer of 1915. Only the 

 more successful farms were visited, that is, those yielding labor 

 incomes above the average found in the previous farm management 

 survey. In that study the average of 389 farm owners was $789. 

 The 215 farmers visited were selected from this list except a few 

 from closely adjoining territory. The object of this survey was to 

 study the farm practice and labor efficiency of well-managed farms, 

 to the exclusion of others. 



By "labor income" is meant the amount of money that the farmer 

 has left after paying all business expenses of the farm and deducting 

 5 per cent for interest on the money invested in the farm business. 



By "farm practice" in this connection is meant the general order 

 of performing the various farm operations, from the application of 

 manure, plowing, and preparation of seed bed to the marketing of the 

 crop. Data as to the different types of implements and other equip- 

 ment used, information concerning the use of commercial fertilizers, 

 the methods of cultivation employed, and the yield and disposition 

 of the products were obtained in the study of farm practice. 



By "labor efficiency" is meant the number of loads or tons handled 

 or the area covered by an implement with a definite crew of men and 

 horses, in a day or other unit of time, for every operation in the grow- 

 ing of the crop. In this connection estimates were obtained from 

 the farmer as to the number of days actually available for field work 

 throughout the growing season, the number of days actually worked 



1 "Farm Management Practice in Chester County l J a.," U. S. Dept. Bulletin No. 341. 



