42 BULLETIN 994, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
machines, with the farmer's estimate of the approximate length of 
time they will last, and the amount spent for repairs during the year. 
Buildings. — Figures are obtained on the present value of the farm 
buildings, usually divided as f«.rm dwelling, tenant houses, and other 
farm buildings. This information is of value in arriving at the over- 
head charge which is to be carried by the productive enterprises of 
the farm. 
SUMMARY OF ENTERPRISE DATA. 
The following summary gives the items and principal elements of 
cost which should be obtained in an enterprise study for the particular 
enterprise in mind and also for the entire farm business : 
For the enterprise. 
1. Normal yield and acres of crops or 
normal number of live stock by 
years for a three to five year period. 
2. Direct labor requirements. 
3. Feed and material quantities and ex- 
pense. 
4. Proportion of total labor chargeable to 
enterprise. 
5. Proportion of equipment expense 
chargeable to enterprise. 
6. Proportion of overhead. 
7. Special marketing notes. 
8. Special enterprise notes. 
For the entire farm. 
1. Area, value, and distribution of farm 
area. 
2. Live-stock inventories. 
3. Inventory of equipment. 
4. Inventory of buildings. 
5. Cash receipts from all sources. 
6. Cash expenses. 
7. Inventory of feeds and supplies. 
8. Total amount of all labor, with rate 
of wages for hired labor. 
9. Estimated expense of maintaining 
work stock. 
10. Total amount of horse labor. 
Data as above outlined will permit the working out of the basic 
requirements for producing enterprises and will provide a basis for 
the distribution of fixed charges, including overhead expense. With 
the data from the entire farm business, the relation of the enterprise 
to the farm is shown by its proportionate use of land, labor, and 
equipment, and by its costs and earnings, as compared with those 
for the whole farm. It is also possible to compute from these data 
labor income and interest on the farm investment, which are of value 
in considering the status of the enterprise studied. This is especially 
true if the product in question is by far the most important, such as 
cotton on cotton farms and wheat on wheat farms. 
ENTERPRISE STUDIES WITHOUT COMPLETE BUSINESS ANALYSIS. 
A number of separate studies of farm enterprises have been made 
by the Office of Farm Management and Farm Economics without 
attempting to obtain a complete business analysis of the farm. 
Similar studies have also been made by various State institutions, 
but usually the enterprise in question has been of an outstanding, 
special type, and of considerable commercial importance. Among 
these studies may be mentioned those of the cost of producing sugar 
beets, apples, potatoes, beans, sweet corn, cabbage, onions, and 
tomatoes. This manner of studying the enterprise does not permit 
taking into consideration the relation of the enterprise to the entire 
