814 



[Dec, 



tigated by the writer, one effect of the introduction of a tractor 

 on a farm has been without exception to increase the cost of 

 horse labour per working day, because, owing to the fact that 

 at certain times of the year, such as hay time and harvest, 

 horses are absolutely essential, the introduction of a tractor is 

 rarely accompanied by the selling off of its equivalent of horses. 

 In consequence, there is a decrease in the number of working 

 days per horse per year, and a corresponding increase in the 

 cost of horse labour per working day. 



(b) The monthly variations in the cost of horse labour will 

 be determined mainly by the variations in the cost of feeding 

 and in the number of days per week the horses are fully em- 

 ployed. More time will be usually lost in the summer than in 

 the winter; the busy times will be hay time, harvest, and during 

 the autumn and spring when the ground is being prepared 

 for winter and spring com. As already stated by Orwin,* the 

 period of maximum unemployment for horses will usually fall 

 between hay time and harvest. 



Figures from Farm D show the monthly variations for the 

 year 1920 in the cost of horse labour. This is a mixed farm 

 of 205 acres, 105 of which are arable, and on which 5 working 

 horses and one tractor are employed. During the six months 

 January- April and November-December, the average weekly 

 cost of upkeep amounted to £1 10s. 8d. per head, and during 

 the six months May-October 17s. 5d. per head, or only 56 per 

 cent, of the average winter cost. During the six winter months 

 the horses were working, on the average, 3.6 days a week, or 

 66 per cent, of the number of days possible, at an average of 

 8s. 8d. per working day. During the summer months the horses 

 were working, on the average, 2.8 days a week, or 51 per cent, 

 of the number of days possible, at an average cost of 6s. 4d. per 

 working day. The months when the horses were most fully 

 employed were February, March and November, while August 

 was the month of least employment. Horse labour was cheapest 

 during May, when partly on summer rations they were working 

 71 per cent, of the days possible. In April, when on full winter 

 rations, they were working only 47 per cent, of the days possible, 

 the cost of horse labour amounted to no less than lis. 9d. per 

 working day. 



(c) On the 16 farms whose accounts for the year 1920-1921 

 have already been completed, the cost of horse labour has been 

 found to vary between the extreme limits of 4s. and 9s. 7d. per 

 working day, with an average of 5s. 8d. 



* Presidential address, British Association, 1921. 



