A certain amount of waste land must be assumed. The smaller the 

 tract the greater the proportion of waste due to roads and buildings. 

 Allowing some leeway for waste land, it is possible to state, in general 

 terms, that for grain raising, such as barley, oats, or wheat, two 

 hundred or more acres will be required to secure a gross income of 

 $4000 per year where the rainfall is sufficient to permit of annual 

 cropping, and twice that amount will be required where it is necessary 

 to practice summer fallow on alternate years. Sixty acres may be 

 required for sugar beets, grape growing, or dairying. Potatoes and 

 various tree fruits may require forty acres or less. Ten acres appears 

 to be the smallest area on which a California crop will return a gross 

 income of $4000 a year under average conditions. It is not intended 

 to assert that a given crop will require a given area as shown in the 

 last column of the table. In fact, it will probably require in most 

 cases either more or less than the amount stated, because the con- 

 ditions will probably be above or below the average. Neither is it 

 intended to assert that even though the conditions are only average a 

 suitable return may not be obtained from a less area through greater 

 energy, thrift, and knowledge. Indeed, it is being constantly done; 

 for example, while it ordinarily may take forty acres to produce $4000 

 worth of shipping grapes, an authentic example was brought to the 

 writer's attention where thirteen acres of shipping grapes in 1913 

 sold on the farm in bulk brought the owner $4692. This crop did not 

 cost the tenant, exclusive of rent, to exceed $500, including pay for his 

 own labor. This illustration is quoted to show that while statements 

 similar to this one can be made honestly and such cases occur not infre- 

 quently, they are not a proper guide for the new settler. A part of the 

 zest in farming in California is that there are such prizes for which one 

 may reasonably strive. What it is intended to say is that if one expects 

 to get greater returns than are indicated in the table, he should be 

 thoroughly convinced that he has more favorable conditions or greater 

 ability than the average. Of course, one may properly be content with 

 a smaller gross income and thus require a smaller area to satisfy his 

 needs. It is fairly obvious, however, that statements of satisfactory 

 income on less than ten acres, which undoubtedly do occur, do not 

 represent normal conditions and are not safe guides for those who 

 desire to make a home in the open country. Such small areas may, and 

 in many cases do. furnish delightful homes for those who have other 

 sources of income. A more delightful place for people of moderate 

 income to live than in some of the valleys of California can be found 

 in but few localities in the world. It is apparent that this type of 

 population is destined to increase largely. Neighbors of unusual 



