EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X. 709 



morning-glories grew luxuriantly for years just outside the fence, they 

 never gave us any trouble inside. We will get rid of a good many of 

 our bad weeds when we reach the point of having our fields properly 

 fenced, so that we can utilize them for hogs or sheep when weeds of 

 this kind multiply. Morning-glories prefer good land, but will thrive on 

 poor land, mainly because they are more hardy than the common grasses 

 and multiply even on poor land because the slight growth of other grasses 

 gives them room to grow. 



THE COST OF PRODUCING FARM PRODUCTS IN MINNESOTA. 



Wallaces' Farmer. 



There is a great lack of knowledge at the present time concerning the 

 cost of production on the farm. In fact, most farmers know only in a 

 general way what it costs them to operate their farms from year to year 

 Neither are there many reliable statistics which can be applied to th& 

 actual working conditions of the farm. At a considerable cost of timb 

 and money the Minnesota Experiment Station, in co-operation with thb 

 United States Department of Agriculture, have compiled rather extensive 

 data concerning the cost of producing the various farm products and the 

 cost of the various farm operations. Their data covers a period of three 

 years and was secured from representative farmers from three sections of 

 the state. This data will not apply to sections other than those similar 

 to the upper Mississippi valley, but is of interest to all, as it is compre- 

 hensive and can be made valuable to both the tenant and the landlord. 

 We give the gist of their investigations. 



The average length of the working day for men on the farms at North- 

 field, southeastern Minnesota, is 8.59 hours for the week days and 2.89 

 hours for Sundays; and at Halstad, in northwestern Minnesota, 7.43 hours 

 for the week days and 2.19 hours for Sundays. The average length of the 

 working day for horses at Northfield, southeastern Minnesota, is 3.08 

 hours, and at Halstad, northwestern Minnesota, 3.30 hours. 



The cash value per hour of farm labor ranges from 9 cents in the winter 

 months to 14 cents in the seasons of greatest activity, and an average of 

 all months is approximately 12 cents per hour. Cash value of farm labor 

 is based upon wages paid to men hired by the month or season, plus the 

 cost of their board. The cost of board on farms is approximately $11.00 

 per month, or 37 1/^ cents per day. 



The average cash value per hour of horse labor on farms is approxi- 

 mately 7% cents. Cash value of horse labor is based upon the cost to 

 the farmer of maintaining the horse. The total cost of feeding and 

 maintaining a farm horse for one year, including interest on investment 

 and depreciation, is from $75 to $90. 



The total cost per acre of producing the staple crops of ear corn, fodder 

 corn, hay, oats, barley and wheat is as follows: Northfield, southeastern 

 Minnesota, corn, husked from standing stalks, $11.77; fodder corn, $12.20; 

 clover and timothy hay, $6.97; wild hay, $5.85; oats, $9.48; and barley, 

 $9.13. Marshall, southwestern Minnesota, corn, husked from the standing 

 stalks, $9.96; wild hay, $5.18; oats, $8.83; barley, $8.58; and wheat, $7.89. 



