6i6 



READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



(Table 26). The exact amount to keep will of course vary in 

 different regions and on different farms, but nearly always a 

 di versified farm pays better than does a farm that goes to either 



extreme. 



T.M'.LE 26. RELATION OF ACRES OF CROPS PER ANIMAL AND 

 UTS PER ANIMAL UNIT TO LABOR INCOME. 670 FARMS, 

 II I 1 l.RSON COUNTY, NEW YORK 



Reasons for larger profits on diversified farms. There are 

 many reasons why it does not pay to go to the extreme either 

 way. Ordinarily a man can raise feed for more cows than he 

 can milk. If each man milks 10 to 15 cows, he can raise the 

 hay and silage for these cows and part of the grain, and in addi- 

 tion will have time to raise hay, potatoes, cabbage, or other crops 

 for sale. If the cows are so poor, or prices of the product so 

 low, that the cows do not pay a good price for their feed, it is 

 of vital importance that cash crops be raised. Even if the cows 

 are so profitable that they pay more than market price for their 

 feed, it still pays to raise cash crops, because these crops can be 

 raised at very little additional cost. It might be suggested that 

 more cows be kept to eat the additional crops, but this calls for 

 more men who in turn can raise additional crops, for practically 

 always the men can raise more crops than enough to feed the 

 cows that they can milk. This question is fully discussed in 

 Bulletin 295 of this station, pp. 506-524. 



There are other reasons why diversified farms pay best. If a 

 dairyman keeps all the cows he can feed in a good year, he will 

 have to buy hay in a poor year. On such years hay is usually 

 very high in price, but the price of milk usually does not change 



