INPUT AS RELATED TO OUTPUT 35 
Even if the' enterprises on a farm were all supplementary — that is, 
not conflicting as to use of labor and management — so that one could 
assume that the farmer at any one time was devoting all of his man- 
agerial energy to only one of the several products, the problem would 
still be difficult, for the input combination that meant most profit 
from one product would not be the same as for the other products. 
Extra labor could be hired for those products returning greatest 
profit at the largest input of labor, but of course at higher rates. 
For horse labor the same amount must ordinarily be used for all. 
This problem is therefore inextricably involved with the next one 
to be considered, the choice or combination of enterprises. 
It will be remembered, however, that the net gains from the 
various inputs include whatever effect differences in quantity or 
quality of management which are correlated with input may have 
upon output per unit of input. Hence, variations in management 
are partly included in least-cost inputs as above determined. 
THE COMBINATION OF ENTERPRISES 
The next problem is to determine what enterprises to combine and 
in what proportion. If this problem were merely to choose between 
two or more enterprises, the method would be as follows: On the 
basis of probable cost rates, and tables or curves of inputs per unit 
of output properly adjusted to this particular farm, determine the 
lowest possible cost per unit of product for each product under the 
conditions existing on this farm, such as available acreage, man 
labor, horse labor, and management. Compare these costs with the 
probable prices per unit of the different products. Multiply these 
different profits per unit of product by the probable number of 
units of the different products. Choose whatever product promises 
the greater total profit. 
But usually the problem involves, instead, the balancing of several 
enterprises which are more or less conflicting, supplementary, and 
complementary. The points of lowest costs and highest profits 
per unit of product will vary for any product as the proportion of it 
changes; as the corn acreage increases at the expense of wheat or 
hay or cotton; or as the number of beef cattle increases at the 
expense of hogs or sheep; or hay and milk cows at the expense of 
small grain. The method in such cases is as follows: Estimate the. 
probable lowest cost for all the products under all the likely com- 
binations of proportions of enterprises: compare these costs with 
the probable prices of the various products: multiply the probable 
number of units of the various products by the profits per unit. 
Choose the combination promising the largest total profit from 
all products in the combination. Include in the receipts from any 
product the value of all by-products or contributions to other enter- 
prises. Include as costs all contributions from other enterprises. 
The choosing between different cropping systems will be handled 
mostly according to the second of the above methods, since most 
rotations involve varying degrees of supplementary, complementary, 
and conflicting relationships. 
The difficulties in this problem are, (1) the adjusting of inputs 
per unit of output as given in tables and curves previously presented 
to fit variations in the proportions of the enterprises: (2) the adjust- 
