Farm Management
the problem of economics in agricultural production, brought American manufacturing to its the same business efficiency which has with the object of introducing therein of economics in agricultural production, FARM MANAGEMENT, the problem the same business efficiency which has brought American manufacturing to its present high degree of perfection. While the basis of manufacturing industry has been radically changed by the use of machinery and factory organization, thus becoming the subject of executive management, agricultural production has not chinery and factory organization, thus been radically changed by the use of ma- the basis of manufacturing industry has Farming is still a one-man enterprise and is still largely carried on in the same way in which it was carried on when the handicrafts system of manufacturing obtained. It has been only partially affected by machinery, and that in only certain phases, as in the production of and is still largely carried on in the same by machinery. Farming, therefore, still remains very much a home industry.
The rapid growth of the urban population, and its demands for farm-grown products, have made improved methods in agricultural production a national problem. For ment of Agriculture and the various For this reason the Federal Depart- State agricultural departments have made efficiency in agricultural production one of their chief aims. periment station, in 1902, was the first State to raise the problem of farm management to the dignity scientific study. Shortly after this subject also received the serious consideration of the Federal Department of Agriculture. Now it has been taken up by Minnesota, through its agricultural exmost of the other States, and every effort is made, through literature and practical demonstrations, farmers a knowledge demonstration farms established in all ty of a special parts of the country. tained from the experiments made by the onstrations, to propagate among the dge of the results ob- FARMER Farm management involves many phases of practical farming; the proper rotation of crops, the comparative value of fertilizers; co-operative organization for the purpose of purchasing seeds and fertilizers, and for the sale of crops at a minimum of loss to profiteering middlemen, and, by no means least, a proper system of bookkeeping, whereby the individual farmer may know his profits and losses on his various transactions, so that the source of loss may be eliminated. All means to making farming profitable to farmers are considered a legitimate part of the general subject of farm management. The economy of gasoline-driven vehicles for carrying produce to market, or of dynamite in digging ditches for drainage, are fair illustrations of phases which are shown by actual demonstration. The main object is to eliminate waste and to introduce a scientific efficiency in every department of agricultural production. A fuller discussion of this subject will be found in "What is Farm M Management?" Bulletin No. 259, issued by the Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.