272 Repoet of Farmers' Institutes 



WHAT IS meant by DIVERSITY 



Diversity is usually measured by '' percentage of crop and stock 

 receipts coming from crops " and by the number of important 

 sources of income. They are not very satisfactory measures be- 

 cause they do not represent completely the conditions we wish to 

 observe, but no better measure has been devised. 



Balance between crops and stock is one phase of diversity. 

 Good balance implies: (1) Enough stock to utilize the land that 

 is suitable only for pasture and the by-product or unmarketable 

 products like corn stalks, straw, bean pods, cabbage refuse, cull 

 potatoes, skim milk, buttermilk, whey, etc., and to furnish some 

 manure. (2) Enough crop land to use efficiently the available 

 manure. Too little land for the manure may be just as un- 

 profitable for the farmer as too little manure for the -land. 



Labor distribution is another phase of diversity. Good labor 

 distribution implies enough productive work, together with neces- 

 sary maintenance and improvement work, to keep the regiilar help 

 employed as profitably as possible throughout the working day 

 and throughout th6 seasons. It also implies the utilization of 

 available temporary help when there is opportunity to use it profit- 

 ably. Very seldom should the ideal be to have a constant amount 

 of work through the season. When temporary help is usually 

 available at the critical period (referring to labor requirement), 

 in sections where such crops as potatoes, hops, fruits, tobacco, hay, 

 etc., are important and profitable, the ideal should be to use as 

 much of that labor as other conditions warrant. 



Diversity also refers to distribution of income and to insurance 

 against complete failure. 



PRODUCTION 



This factor is better understood than the preceding; possibly 

 too much emphasis has been given it in the past. It is no more 

 important than size and diversity. 



Production rates of crops depend more upon rainfall, length of 

 growing season and soil, than upon the extra efforts of man. The 

 best way to secure good crop production is to locate on good soil 

 in a favorable climate. The differences in natural productivity 

 of different localities in New York are greater than many people 



