302 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



FARM MANAGEMENT 



By J. A. BILLINGS, V. 8. Department of Agriculture, WsLShington, D. C. 



The work of the Ollice of Fanii MauagemeiU of tlie U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, embraces a study of the underlying principles 

 which aliect the ])rotits of the farm, in this work very little attention 

 is given to tlie carrying (tn of experimenls, in fact, (he object is to aj)- 

 ply the results obtained by State Ex})eriuient Stafions to use the 

 methods employed by the most successful farmers in dilTei-ent sections, 

 and outline the system of management best adapted for each particu- 

 lar section, after taking into consideration the local conditions, such 

 as character of soils, location in regard to markets, and climatic or 

 other changes which may atfect the types of farming and cropping 

 systems. 



Farm Management differs from experiment station work in that it 

 makes a study of the farm as a whole, that is, the organization of the 

 farm in reference to the arrangement of fields, the location of build- 

 ings, the cropping system and rotation best suited for the maintenance 

 of soil fertility, the distribution of labor on the farm, the amount of 

 etiuipment necessary to operate the farm, and the proper system of 

 keeping records and accounts in order to know what crops are the 

 most profitable to grow, or what system of farming is best adapted 

 under existing conditions. The agronomist tells us how to gi-ow any 

 particular crop, the preparation and cultivation of the soil, the use of 

 manures and fertilizers to furnish plant food and nminiaiu ])rofitable 

 yields of crops. The animal husbandman tells us hoic to feed and care 

 for animals, the dairyman tells us hoio to handle the dairy jjroducts, 

 but the farm management man first of all studies the question what 

 is the best type of farming which is best adaj^ted for his i)articular 

 farm. After deciding Avhat crops to grow and the acreage of each; 

 what arrangement of the fields for the most -economical handling of 

 labor and equijmient ; what cropping system which will be the most 

 profitable for the ty}>e of farming to l)e followed ; what kind of ani- 

 mals and the number of each; what kind and amount of farm equip- 

 ment which is best adapted for the })articular kind of farming which 

 is to be followed, and this takes into consideration the buildings 

 which are best adapted for this purjtose, the kind and number of farm 

 implements, machinery, stock, etc.; what amount and the best distri- 

 bution of labor and what cost of productiim for the ditTerent farm 

 crops or products and the probable net income which will l)e derived 

 from the farm. In other words, farm management answers the ques 

 tion what or whether, while agronomy, animal industry, etc., usually 

 answers the question hoic, as a})])lied to the farm. 



The work of farm management is to make n study of the conditions 

 of every particular locality in order to study the problems in that 

 region, and where necessary, co-operative work is arranged, in order 

 to carry out this investigation. 



