224 HUMAN FACTORS IN COTTON CULTURE 



The value of the family living diminishes from owner 

 to cropper as one would expect, although they have the 

 larger families. It is worthy of note that the percentage 

 of goods furnished by farm is lower for the tenants, and 

 lowest for the croppers. 



These studies may be said to represent the higher 

 levels of southern farmers. That they practice diversifi- 

 cation is shown by the large percentage of supplies fur- 

 nished by the farm. The living purchased comes from 

 the cash crop, and from the expenditures it is clear that 

 the farms are larger than the average southern holdings. 

 The exclusion of Negroes leaves out of this group a 

 body of cotton producers who would have brought the 

 averages down. 



A later study by the Department gives an analysis 

 of cotton farmers on smaller acreage. Gwinnett County, 

 Georgia, is a typical Piedmont cotton-producing area, 

 inhabited mostly by white farmers. The average cropper 

 cultivates twenty-four acres ; the average tenant twenty- 

 six, and the average landlord, with his tenants, has forty- 

 eight acres in cultivation. From the 288 farms studied, it 

 was found that the typical farm had eight acres in 

 cotton, thirteen in corn, and four in other crops. 



The standard of living study of these 288 white farm 

 families showed an average net cash income in 1924 of 

 $424 per family of five. Their cash income was supple- 

 mented by food, fuel, and shelter from the farm to the 

 value of $396 per family, giving a total of $820 a year. 

 Of their net cash income they had to pay ordinary living 

 expenses averaging $291 per family, leaving $133 to be 

 applied to their debts or added to their capital. Most 

 of these farmers were tenants. Only one work animal 



