26 BULLETIN 41, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
RELATICN 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. 
Tf hand labor could compete with machine work, farm wages would 
be much less and the product per man proportionately smailer. Our 
agricultural civilization would then gravitate toward the peasant 
conditions existing in some parts of Kurope, 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 $367, 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 labor per acre 
on 700 farms in Indiana, Illinois, and Towa, 
| Total labor (includ- Totallabor (includ- 
ing estimate of | ing estimate of 
Num-|  farmer’s own la- Num- | farmer’s own la- 
Area. ber of | bor). Area. ber of | bor). 
farms. | farms. |— + = =e 
| Per till- | Per crop | Per till- | Per crop 
ableacre.| acre. jableacre.| acre. 
40 acres and less....-- 45| $8.18] $10.08 || 321 to 400 acres....... 30| $3.36 $3. 88 
AT TOB0\ACKeS= =) -e 4-5. - 114 | 6. 54 7. 28 ||. 401-to 560 acres...-.-.- 12 3.12 3. 88 
81 to 120 acres....--..- 120 | 4,98 5.07 || 50 to 720 aeresss---—- 5 3. 80 4.41 
121 to 160 acres..-.--.-- 130 | 4. 37 4.89 || 721 to 1,250 acres. ---.| 4 | 3. 50 5. 29 
161 to 200 acres..----- 93 | 4,21 } 4.74 
201 to 240 acres.-.--.--| 75 4, 20 | 4. 69 Total or average. - 700 3.74 4.63 
241 to 280 acres.....-- | 35 3. 94 | 4. 40 ° 
281 to 320 acres....... | 37 3.41 | 3. 98 | 
| 
