250 PRINCIPLES OF RURAL ECONOMICS 



purpose may easily require the entire working time of one family 

 even when equipped with all the known labor-saving devices 

 which can be used in that business. But only a limited number 

 can engage in such extreme agricultural specialization as this. 

 The vast majority of farmers must necessarily be engaged in the 

 growing of the great staple products for which there is a large 

 and permanent demand. To try to grow any of these staple prod- 

 ucts, or to engage in general farming on one acre, or three, or 

 five, or even ten, will usually be small-scale farming. If it uses 

 the best equipment in the way of labor-saving devices, no fam- 

 ily can employ all of its time on so small a tract in growing 

 grain, hay, beef, wool, cotton, or any of these great crops. 



A great deal has been written in advocacy of small-scale farm- 

 ing under such alluring titles as "Three Acres and a Cow" or 

 "Three Acres and Liberty" (for those to whom the idea of 

 liberty is more inspiring than that of the cow). While three 

 acres devoted to some high-priced agricultural specialty will bring 

 in a handsome income, yet, as already suggested, the mass of 

 our farmers cannot grow agricultural specialties. Three acres 

 devoted to any of the great crops which are necessary to feed 

 and clothe the race is a very poor way to make a living, and 

 as long as laborers can get reasonable wages, they are surely not 

 going to make a stampede to get three-acre lots. Again, while 

 a man of good business ability may undoubtedly make a liv- 

 ing off three acres, yet if he has good business ability he is 

 usually not in need of three acres. He can run a bank, a store, 

 or a larger farm, and make a much better living than he could 

 from three acres, even when liberty and a fluent cow are added. 

 There are, however, exceptional cases where this will prove a 

 useful combination. These are well worth our thoughtful con- 

 sideration, but we must not think that we are solving a great 

 agricultural problem when we are providing for a few excep- 

 tional cases. 



