92 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.43 



Basic facts of prosperity in 1920, C. C. I'ari.ix (!'liilaileli>hift : The Cnrtis 

 Pub. Co., 1920, pp. oS. Pus. 21). — Many phases of and factors in trends iu in- 

 dustry fitr the United States, mainly between 1910 and 1919, are discussed and 

 fn'aphically illustrated here. It is indicated that domestic production is the 

 major factor iu American industrial life and the farm market the largest 

 single factor, that there has come about a large accumulation of savings and 

 national capital, and that it is unlikely that food prices will return to a pre- 

 war level, the farm industry seeming to have reached a permanently higher 

 level of earning and spending. 



Making money on high-priced land, H. B. ^Iunger {Wallaces' Fanner, Jf5 

 {1920), Xo. 10, pp. 761. 173, fiys. 2). — This article considers the labor income 

 on farms in a certain section of northeastern Iowa as affected by the propor- 

 tion of the total area in crops and pasture. Farmers having less than 20 

 per cent of the land in pasture received labor incomes of over $400, but with 

 an increase in pasture the labor incomes rapidly declined. Farmers with over 

 4ty per cent in pasture not only had no labor incomes but lacked .$120 of mak- 

 ing 5 per cent interest on their investment. An average labor income of —$41 

 resulted where less than 60 per cent of the farm was in crops, as compared 

 with a labor income of $480 where more than 80 per cent was devoted to crops. 



A difference in labor income of more than $800 was found in comparing a 

 group of farms containing 20 per cent and less of the farm in corn, and a 

 group with over 50 per cent in corn, and this in spite of the fact that farms in 

 the last group contained 165 acres as compared with 245 in the first. The 

 basis for the present valuation of corn belt laud is largely its desirability for 

 corn production, and the price of level prairie lands in Iowa will probably be 

 based more and more ou corn production. 



A study was made of the effect of varying crop yields on the profits of the 

 farm, in which the group of farms on which crop yields were less than 85 per 

 cent of the average of all farms showed an average income of — $146. The 

 group of farms which included those with crop yields of 115 per cent and 

 over av'eragetl 25 per cent better yields than the average of all farms and re- 

 ceived $760 for their labor. It is concluded that 25 per cent better crop yields 

 than the average is a fair goal for which to strive. 



A two-year farm management survey of Greenbrier and Monroe 

 Counties, A. .1. Dadism.\n and C. F. Sakle {West Viryinia Sta. Bui. 113 {1920), 

 pp. 34, fly^- 12). — A study is presented of 520 records from a two-year farm 

 management survey of 260 farms in Greenbrier and Monroe Counties in south- 

 eastern AVest Vii'ginia in 1911-15 and 1915-16. Of these farms 239 were op'-^r- 

 atetl by owners and 21 by tenants. 



Of owner operated farms, 98 were beef farms or those on which 40 per cent 

 or more of the total income came from beef cattle, 121 were general farms, 

 their receipts being derived from both live stock and crops, and 20 were dairy 

 farms deriving 40 per cent or more of their total receipts from the dairy. Aver- 

 aging the two years, the beef farms made the largest family income. $1,590, 

 or nearly $100 more than 5 per cent interest on the investment, and a labor 

 income of $94. The general farms made a family income of $532, or a little 

 less than 5 pei- cent interest on the investment for the two years, and a labor 

 income of —$60. The 20 dairy farms show a family income of $1,268. which 

 was 5 per cent interest on the investment and fair wages in addition, and a 

 labor income of $366. It is considered that the actual amount of man labor 

 on crops and live stock per farm is probably the best measure of siZv. of busi- 

 ness, and by this the dairy farms show the biggest farm business and general 

 farms the smallest. Tables are given showing farm eai'nings on 239 owner 



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