FARM MANAGEMENT PEACTICE OF CHESTER COUNTY, PA. 
97 
Table LIX. — Value of manure per animal unit determined by comparing two 
groups of Chester County farms. 
[The first group contains 94 farms (one-fourth of entire number) having the least number of animal units 
per 100 acres of crops (average, 20.36). The second group includes 94 farms having the highest number of 
animal units per 100 acres of crops (average, 56.85). Difference, 36.49 animal units.] 
Acres per 
100 acres 
of crop. a 
Average yield per 
acre. 
Increase 
in yield 
per acre 
Increase in 
production 
per 100 
acres of 
crops. 
Prices.** 
Value of 
increased 
Crops. 
Lowest 
group of 
94 farms. 
Highest 
group of 
94 farms. 
production. 
per 100 acres 
of crops. 
23 
6.21 
18.8 
6.6 
45.4 
Bushels. 
59.98 
79.18 
23.90 
37.86 
Tons. 
1.22 
Bushels. 
71.83 
83.09 
25.56 
43.67 
Tons. 
1.55 
Bushels. 
11.85 
3.91 
1.66 
5.81 
Tons. 
.33 
Bushels. 
272. 55 
24.24 
31.21 
38.35 
Tons. 
14.98 
$0.80 
1.04 
.92 
.55 
22.12 
$218. 04 
Potatoes 
25.21 
Wheat 
28.71 
Oats 
21.09 
Hay 
331. 36 
Total 
624. 41 
Excess of fertilizer used by second group, per 100 acres of all crops 48. 00 
Increase due to 36.49 animal units 576. 41 
Increase due to one animal unit 15. 80 
a Areas and prices are the averages for the entire 378 farms operated by their owners. These are used in 
order to eliminate factors other than the quantity of manure available. The crop areas given here are per 
100 acres of the five crops mentioned. 
The figures given for the value of manure per animal unit repre- 
sent merely the increase in crop values due to the use actually made 
of the manure on the farms in question. The cost of caring for the 
manure and of spreading it on the fields must be deducted from 
these figures. The average cost of spreading manure on the fields is 
about 50 cents per ton, or about $5 or $6 per animal unit. It must 
be remembered, however, that most of this cost is represented by 
labor which the farmer may perform himself, and that whatever 
he gets for his labor is added to his annual income, even if it be less 
than ordinary wages. 
In making these calculations the farms of each locality were 
divided into four equal classes, based on the number of animal units 
kept per hundred acres of crops. The calculations relate only to the 
major field crops, but the figures are handled in such a manner as 
to credit similar average increases in yield and acre \alue to minor 
field crops and to orchard lands. 
No account has been taken of wdiatever manure may have been 
used on kitchen gardens or on permanent pasture land. There should 
undoubtedly be some credit for these two classes of land, but as there 
is no way of arriving at its value no account could be taken of it in 
these calculations. Studies are now in progress with a view to de- 
termining the value of manure used on pasture lands in this and 
other localities. 
14138°— Bull. 341—16 7 
