Final answer:
The success of bonanza farms was due to economies of scale, access to advanced technology, efficient labor management, and large capital investments. Their ability to utilize industrial farming techniques and connect to extensive railroad networks also significantly contributed to their productivity and dominance over smaller, family-run farms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Large, commercial “bonanza farms” were highly successful due to several factors which gave them advantages over smaller, family-run farms. The success of bonanza farms can primarily be attributed to their ability to benefit from economies of scale, allowing for more productive and efficient operations. They had access to advanced technology, such as improved plows and threshing machines, enabling them to cultivate and harvest large swaths of land more quickly than their smaller counterparts.
The efficient labor management of these farms involved hiring laborers to work on vast acreages, which further contributed to their productivity. Additionally, these farms were able to make large capital investments in equipment and technology, were more aligned with the industrial farming practices of the time, and could deploy mechanization to reduce labor costs and increase output. As a result of these advanced farming techniques and investments, bonanza farms could produce high yields thus they could dominate the agricultural market compared to smaller, family-run farms, which often struggled with the high costs of starting and maintaining such advanced farming operations.
Furthermore, large agricultural operations like bonanza farms enjoyed strong connections to railroad networks. This transportation advantage eased the receipt of supplies and the dispatch of large crop yields to markets, boosting their commercial success even further. With the ability to mass-produce crops using industrial agriculture techniques, bonanza farms played a crucial role in shaping the agricultural landscape, evidencing the transformative impact of technological advancements on farming.