S3 19 \a/5G7 '''"^nA,!s,.„^^^,iosM-m as Price Is. 6d. WHEAT COSTINGS 1914 and 1919-1922 SHOWING THE COST OF WHEAT PRODUCTION IN EACH YEAR AND A METHOD OF ASCERTAINING THE COST OF CORN- GROWING IN ANY YEAR BY HERBERT GRANGE O^.iSi mp LONDON R S. KING & SON, Ltd. ORCHARD HOUSE, 2 & 4 GREAT SMITH STREET WESTMINSTER S.^ Cornell University B ^3 Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924000357974 WHEAT COSTINGS WHEAT COSTINGS 1914 and 1919-1922 SHOWING THE COST OF WHEAT PRODUCTION IN EACH YEAR AND A METHOD OF ASCERTAINING THE COST OF CORN- GROWING IN ANY YEAR BY HERBERT GRANGE LONDON P. S. KING & SON, LTD. ORCHARD HOUSE, 2 & 4 GREAT SMITH STREET WESTMINSTER 1922 PREFACE I PREPARED the Costing Sheets for the years 1919 and 1921 when serving on the County Committee appointed for that purpose. My objects in compiHng those for the years 1914, 1920 and 1922 and publishing the respective results of each of the five years are : — 1. To draw attention to the present and prospective position of the unfortunate grower of Corn. 2. To show the difference between the cost of growing Wheat in 1921 and the price actually realized for that year's crop. 3. To show the difference between the cost of growing Wheat in 1922 and the price realized, or likely to be realized, for same. 4. To show the relation Manual Labour bears to the total cost. 5. To illustrate a method of ascertaining the cost of growing Corn in any one year. 6. To solicit any practical suggestions as to how Corn- growing may become self-supporting. When the Agriculture Act of 1920 was passed, it pro- vided for : — A minimum wage to the Agricultural Labourer, in con- sideration for which pa5mient the farmer was guaranteed against loss on his Wheat and Oat crops, provided he cultivated his land properly. The objects of these guarantees were understood to be to render the country more self-supporting by encouraging an increased home production of corn so as to minimize the risk of starvation in the future, and, at the same time, to raise the standard of wages for the Agricultural Labourer. 5 6 PREFACE The cancelment of these guarantees is now ancient history, and although the one to the labourer was fulfilled up to the time of the repeal, the only advantage his employer received was a compromise amounting to only £3 per acre, which owing to the fact that he had to sell his Wheat (1921 crop) at an average of about 51s. per quarter, involved him in a net loss of from £5 to £6 per acre, leaving an after- math of wages out of all proportion to the prices he has realized or is likely to realize for the Wheat he has grown in 1922. HERBERT GRANGE. WHEAT COSTINGS PARTICULARS OF COSTS PERTAINING TO THE WHEAT CROPS OF THE CEREAL years 1914, 1 919, 1920, 1921 and 1922, Under the following Headings : — 1. Explanation. 2. Details of Costs. 3. Working Bare Fallow. 4. Summary, showing the cost per acre and per quarter of Wheat. 5. Analysis of the various items, showing the relation of each to the whole, viz. : {a) Rent, Rates and Insurance ; (6) Seed; (c) Manures; (d) Horse Labour; (e) Manual Labour ; (/) Repairs, Replacements and Sundries. EXPLANATION In these costings it is assumed that all Seed and Manures are purchased and both Corn and Straw sold off. Any other method would, I submit, quite apart from its com- plexity, give a less accurate result. It will be observed that both Dung and Artificial Manures are applied either directly or indirectly to the crop under review. Locality : — A farm in Hertfordshire on the borders of Bucks. Size of Farm : — 348 acres, divided as follows : — 200 arable 135 grass 335 productive leaving a balance of 13 acres non-productive. 7 8 WHEAT COSTINGS Rent : — £508 per annum, or an equivalent of 30s. per acre on the 335 productive acres. Soil : — The land is mainly clay or gravel with a small portion of chalk. Method of Farming : — Five-course system. — Bare Fal- low every fifth year.^ — Corn and Straw sold off. — Artificial Manures and London Dung purchased. Straw, whether used for Thatching, Bedding or Chaff for Horses, is ignored, the manurial value of such being placed against its use. In addition to Artificial Manures, 15 tons of Farmyard or London Dung are applied every fifth year, or an average of 3I tons for each of the four productive crops. During the year Dung is directly applied. Only a small amount, if any, of Superphosphate is used and Sulphate of Ammonia omitted altogether ; but in those years when Dung is not directly applied. Superphosphate and Sulphate of Ammonia is used in proportion to the presumed amount of manurial residue from the Dung, and in addition some Potash on the lighter soils. But as Potash was unobtainable for the 1919 crop, and its use is not in any case necessary on the clay soUs, it is ignored in all years. Consequently, the manures used during the four pro- ductive years are allocated pro rata to each year respec- tively, viz. : 3I tons Dung, | cwt. Sulphate of Ammonia, and 3 cwt. Superphosphate. Hedging and Ditching. — For the purpose of ascertaining these costs, I have taken a ten-acre field the hedges of which total 40 chains, the trimming being done annually and hedging every 14 years. For instance, 1914 Trimming 40 chains at 2d. = 6s. M., annual charge 8^. per acre. Remaking 40 chains every 14 years at 3s. = £6, or 12s. per acre every 14 years = annual charge of loj^. Other years are similarly dealt with. Wages : — Ordinary Labourers' Wages, 1914. 15s. per week of 57 hours summer and 51 winter, average 55 hours, equals 13s. 6d. ; present average of 49J hours WHEAT COSTINGS 9 working week of 5^ days as adopted in 1921 and after = 2s. S^d. per day. Horsekeepers' Wages. 18s. for 64 hours equal i6s. ^^d. ; present average of 58J hours working week of 5|- days = 3s. per day. Ordinary Labourers' Wages, 1919. 36 weeks at 32s. and 16 weeks at 38s. 6d., average 34s. ; but inasmuch as 54 hours were then worked in summer instead of 50 as in 1921 and after, this reduces the average to 32s. for 49I hours working week of 5| days as adopted in 1921 and after — ^with overtime 10^. and Sundays is. = 5s. g^d. per day. Horsekeepers' Wages. 40s. for 58I hours working week of 5| days = ys. ^\d. per day. Ordinary Labourers' Wages, 1920. 40S. 6d. for 49|- hours working week of 5|days^7s. 4|i. per day. Overtime is. and Sundays is. 2d. per hour. Harvest Wages is. 4d. per hour. Horsekeepers' Wages. 50S. for 58I hours working week of ^^ days ^95. id. per day. Ordinary Labourers' Wages, 1921. 46s. 6d. for 49J hours working week of 5^ days = 8s. ^\d. per day. Overtime is. 2d. and Sundays is. 5^. per hour. Horsekeepers' Wages. 57s. gd. for 58J hours working week of 5| days = los. 6d. per day. Ordinary Labourers' Wages, 1922. 33s. $d. for 49^ hours working week of 5| days = 6s. id. per day. Overtime J^d. and Sundays gd. per hour. 10 WHEAT COSTINGS Horsekeepers' Wages. 39s. 5^. for 58J hours working week of 5^ days = ys. 2d. per day. Note (i). — It must be borne in mind that the reduced Wages current at the end of the cereal year must not be considered alone as Wages varied from 40s. per week in October, 1921, to 31s. 2^. in September, 1922, the average being 33s. 5^. per week. Note (2). — Nothing is charged for interest on capital. WHEAT COSTINGS ii PARTICULARS OF COSTS PERTAINING TO THE WHEAT CROPS. 1922. DETAILS. Wages Cost per Cost per Day. Acre. £ s. d. £ s. d. Ordinary Labourers' Wages (see Explanation). . . .061 Horsekeepers' Wages (see Explana- tion) . . . . .072 Boy's Wages, 3s. 6d. per day .036 Horse, Weekly keep of : — £ s. d. 2i bush. Oats at 4s. . 090 2|trussesHay at 2s. 6^. 063 Veterinary . .006 Shoeing . . .016 Harness . . .016 Depreciation per week 026 £113043 Ploughing, | acre per day : — 2 Horses at 4s. ^d. . I Man, 7s. 2d. . . 8 7 6 2 Ploughing, | acre per day : — 3 Horses at 4s. 3d. . I Man, ys. 2d. . . 15 12 7 8 9 2 I io| Harrowing, 10 acres : — 2 Horses at 4s. 3d. . I Man, ys. 2d. . . 19 8 7 II 6 2 I 6 64 o 15 8 I 6f 12 WHEAT COSTINGS Cost per Day. £ s. d. Cost per Acre. I s. d. Pressing, io acres : — 3 Horses at 4s. ^d. . . 12 9 I Man, ys. 2d. . 072 19 II 020 Drilling, 9 acres : — 3 Horses at 4s. ^d. . . 12 9 I Man, ys. 2d. . . 072 I Boy, 3s. 6d. . • 036 Cutting, 8 acres : — 3 Horses at 4s. '^d. . 2 Men (Long day) at 9s. 2d. I Boy (Long day) at 4s. bd. Carting, 8 acres : — 5 Horses at 4s. ^d. . 7 Men (Long day) at 8s. i^d. 3 Boys (Long day) at 4s. 6d. Cost of 8 acres Thatching, 7 acres : — 12 squares at 2s. 2d. 135 027 12 9 o 18 4 046 1 15 7 4 5I 113 2 16 io| o 13 6 4 II 7I II 51 160 3 8| HRESHiNG, 7 acres : — 9 Hired Men at 6s. id. 2 14 9 4 own Men at 6s. id. I 4 4 2 Boys at 3s. 6d. 7 Horse for water and corn . 4 3 Coal, 7 cwt. at is. 6d. 10 6 Machine hire, 8 hours at 4s. 6d. I 16 19 6 16 10 6i WHEAT COSTINGS 13 Cultivating (deep) : — Cost per Day. £ s. d. Cost per Acre. i s. rf. 4 Horses at 4s. ^d. . I Man, 7s. 2d. . I Boy . 17 • 7 • 3 2 6 Cost of 6 acres • I 7 8 4 7? Cultivating (ordinary) : — 3 Horses at 4s. 3d. . I Man, 7s. 2d. . . 12 • 7 9 2 Cost of 6 acres . . . 19 11 033^ Rolling (heavy) : — 2 Horses at 4s. 3^. . . .086 I Man, ys. 2d 072 Cost of 10 acres . . . 15 8 i 6f Rolling (light) :— I Horse at 4s. 3d. . . 4 3 I Man . . . . . 7 2 Cost of 10 acres . II 5 I If Drag Harrowing : — 4 Horses at 4s. 3d. . . 17 I Man, 7s. 2d. . 7 2 I Boy . . . . . 3 6 Cost of 8 acres . I 7 8 3 5i 14 WHEAT COSTINGS Artificial Manures : — 3 cwt. Superphosphate at 4s. 3c?. f cwt. Sulphate of Ammonia at 15s. Sowing ditto, i day's work, 8 acres : s. d. I Horse, 4s. ^d. .43 Cost per Acre. f s. d. 12 9 o II 3 I Man, ys. 2d. Cartage, 2s. Superphosphate . 13 5 annual charge i Sulphate of ammonia 13 5 annual charge o i Total Cost £174 Farmyard or purchased Dung 3| tons annually at 7s. . Cartage :— I day's work, 30 tons : — 5 Horses at 4s. 3^. . 2 Men at js. 2d. 2 Men at 6s. id. 3 Boys at 3s. bd. . 6 3 i s. d. • I I 3 . 14 4 . 12 2 . 10 6 £2 18 3 mual charge . 073 I 74 Total Cost £1 15 14 WHEAT COSTINGS 15 WORKING OF BARE FALLOWS. Per Acre. 1914 1 1919 1920. I92I. 1922. £ s. d. I i s. d. f s. d. £ s- "i- £ s. d. Ploughing once with 3 horses . 15 4 i I 15 4^ 2 2 5i I 18 I I 6 6} Ploughing three times with 2 horses I 14 7i' 4 4* 4 17 4 10 li 3 2 74 Cultivating once with 4 horses ! 2 706 oi 7 4 6 7f 4 7i Cultivating twice with 3 horses 3 10 8 10 10 7 9 6i 067 Rolling once with 2 horses loji 2 2 5 023 I 6f RoUiug once with i horse . . 1 7 I I 4* I 8 I 7j I i| Drag Harrowing once . I Hi 4 6i 5 6 4 Hi 3 5i Forking off and burning couch 601 2 I 6 019 I 3 BaUiff (superintendence) . 4 8 10 lO 14 15 6i 12 Cob for odd jobs . . . . ! 2 1 4 3+ 5 040 2 10 T year's rent unproductive I 10 ! I 10 I 10 I 10 I 10 I year's rates unproductive . j 4 7i 4 2 6 7* 8 6i 087 Repairs and replacements . 6 1 18 I 126 14 Insurance I 8J1 4 4 3 9 040 2 7J Sundries I 5 1 I 7 I 10 021 019 One-fourth to Wheat and one-fourth to each suc- ceeding crop . . . . i 1)5 10 I 7 8i 8 10 12 loi 12 9 8 12 I 8 8 19 6i Annual charge to each crop .£ 2 13 24 3 2 5 305 2 4 loj SUMIV lARY OF DETAILS. Per Acre. 1914.. 1919 1 1920. 1921. 1922. £ s- d. £ s- d. £ s. li. £ s. d. £ s. d. Rent I 10 I 10 I 10 I 10 I 10 Rates 4 7i 4 2 6 7* 086} 087 Ploughing II 6i I 6 9i I 12 4 I 10 oi I loJ Harrowing before Drill loi 2 2 5 023 I 6| Harrowing after Drill . loi 2 2 5 2 3, I 6| Pressing I I* 2 74 3 H 2 lOj 020 Weeding (Hoeing, etc.) 2 4 6 u 6 066 040 Drilling I 5 3 3i 4 oi 039 027 Seed (2^ bushels) .... II .S I 5 I 5 °, I 12 6 17 6 Cutting 2 7i 5 5i 6 8J 066 4 5i String 2 6 5 050 030 Shocking and Reshocking I 4i 3 3 4 of 048 030 Carting 6 8 13 7 16 2 16 7 II 5i Thatching I loi 4 3i 5 7 6 3i 3 Si Threshing 11 3i I 3 9 I 7 3 I II li 19 6J Handling (Haulage, etc.) . . I 9 4 5 6 060 040 Artificial Manures .... 18 H I 16 2 7 2 10 I 7 4, Farmyard Manure .... 1 loi I 12 II 2 2 iij 2 7 oi I 15 I* TTpHgp TriTnmiTlg, fitc , 8 I 5 2 024 016 Hedge Making loi 2 2 6J 2 loi 020 Repairs and Replacements 6 18 X 126 14 Insurance I «i 4 4 3 9 040 2 7i Sundries I 5 I 7 I 10 021 019 Bailiff for Superintendence 4 8 10 10 14 15 6i 12 Keep of cob for odd jobs . 2 4 3ii 5 040 2 10 Manual Labour for odd jobs . 2 4 5 6 i 7 080 059 Share of Fallow .... I 7 8 2 13 2i| 3 2 5 305 2 4 I f 8 18 li 16 10 10 19 10 10 20 13 7 14 7 7i Less value of two loads Straw 2 10 3 9 5 2 10 I I 10 Cost per acre / i)6 8 li 13 I 5 17 10 19 3 7 12 17 7i Cost per quarter . . . .£ I 12 oi 3 5 4i 4 5 2i 4 15 lof 3 4 4i i6 WHEAT COSTINGS u u Q, trt 3 cr u l-l ^ a O -tJ-O 1- >0 '^ M MM O O O O w o vO '>0 fO -^ C--- Tf H !>. O »r> n") CTi M H H M IN O C< N '^ w O mD H M !>. 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