52 BUI^ETIN 1348, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
the proper means of applying the power have not been available to 
do the work efl&ciently. This is particularly true of household work. 
In still other instances the reason is probably a lack of knowledge 
of the economic value of the machinery, and as this is better imder- 
stood and as farm wages increase it may be expected that more and 
more power will be used to replace human effort. New types of ma- 
chinery to replace human effort Tsith power may also be expected 
to be developed and ^^^.ll by this means increase the amount of power 
used. 
Little study or investigation has so far been given to the improve- 
ment of the mechanical efficiency of the machinery now used, or 
even to determine whether the equipment as now designed will 
complete the operation or operations for which it is used with the 
least input of power. The small amount of investigational work of 
this nature already done would indicate that there exist great possi- 
bilities of cutting down the amount of power used and thereby the 
cost of power. 
Enough information is now available to indicate that many possi- 
bilities exist for utilizing power to stimulate plant and animal 
growth, for the control of insects, and for the curing of various 
crops; but many details will necessarily have to be worked out 
before these processes can be extensively utiHzed in a commercial 
way. 
