A LIVING FROM THE LAND 



his enterprises. In this connection it may be 

 helpful to point out that an acre of land com- 

 prises 43,560 square feet. A city lot measuring 

 50 by loo feet contains 5,000 square feet. An 

 acre therefore would comprise about eight and 

 one-half such city lots. A 5-acre tract is usually 

 a minimum area for a small agricultural enter- 

 prise and many have found it entirely adequate. 

 The size of the tract to be acquired and the 

 enterprises that can be engaged in will depend 

 in considerable measure upon the size of the 

 occupant's family whether they can assist 

 in its operation and whether the owner himself 

 intends to put in all or only a part of his time. 

 The possibility of securing extra labor should 

 also be looked into before larger operations are 

 attempted. No definite formula can be set down 

 for desirable area and enterprises in relation 

 to time available for operating. However, the 

 owner will realize that one pair of hands can 

 do only so much work. To try to operate beyond 

 the capacity of his own time and that of others 

 available is to become involved in striving to 

 keep up with exigencies that may make country 

 life a struggle instead of a pleasurable existence. 

 It may result, too, in losses due to inability to 

 get things done on time, and nature deals 

 harshly with those who neglect the seasonable 

 operations that come in any agricultural enter- 



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