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 60- 
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. 
Fic. 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 X XI is given the machinery investment per crop acre on 
the different-sized farms. 
TABLE XXI.—RKelation of the size of the farm to the efficiency of machinery on 
700 farms in Indiana, Illinois, and Lowa. 
Farms. Value of machinery. 
{ i | 
Size of farm. ; | Average ‘ 
NT Average Total per | Per crop 
Number.| <i7¢ (acres). % aereay farm. | acre. 
LEtOPAO ACTOS Sopra ta bee PS at oe eee 45 36. 6 26.4 $133 $5. 04 
AUSCO SO ACTCS te- Fe os sa) ae eee ee 114 ‘1.4 56. 7 | 241 | 4.25 
Sinton Olacres see). o2 82.2 ae SE ee en ee 120 107.2 86. 0 | 279 | 3.24 
LTSTORL GO} ACTOS 46~ yee 205k ROBES, rece eee Bn Bee 130 149.3 122.4 345 | 2.82 
1GItoOZ0D acres te aes 2 eee ee eee 93 183. 6 143.4 413 2.88 
ZOU OW 4D ACleS Aes hk tick oe ee eee tae ee 75 | 227.4 | 184.9 | 452 2.44 
DALSLOM SOT ACEO <2 sae te eee a aE Sp eee ape | 35 | 262.6 | 211.2 718 3. 40 
DElsLOtaZO ACTOS =m ses mae tet ene Se ht ter: ee ee 37 | 305.6 | 233. 8 | 561 2. 40 
SZUECOMOO ACTOS 2 cnc oe come See ee 30 | 364. ik 298. 0 747 2: 5] 
AQT TorsO0lacrese == Se see. ee eee ee ee 12 | 474.8 368. 6 690 1. 87 
561 to 720 acres SN fee in CR RN ee ELE 5 ae oo 4 | ; 790 : 42 
(2A COME ZOUIACTES «5c 0 ot Sate ce eet Pisses 4 991.2 612. 0 313 | a UF 
Dotalor- average 2 4 3- oe y salce te | 700 | IAB 142.8 384 | 2.69 
