296 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



The following statement is divided into four parts in order that 

 the reader may more easily grasp the cost of different operations. It 

 does not include any of the preliminary costs, as removing vegetation, 

 leveling, etc.: 



Cost of Growing Grain Per Acre. 



Culture : 



Plowing $2.00 



Harrowing and leveling 90 



Seed 1.10 



Seeding 50 



'Ditching 15 



Irrigating 1.25 



$5.90 



Harvesting: 



Cutting with binder 1.00 



Twine for binding 50 



Shocking 40 



Hauling 1.25 



Thrashing 2.50 



5.65 



Marketing: 

 Hauling to local market or to oars .75 



Interest and taxes: 



Water tax 50 



Tax on land 30 



Interest on farm equipment 25 



Interest on $100 at 8 per cent 8.00 



9.05 



Total 21.35 



Gross returns: 

 Forty bushels wheat at 75.1 cents per bushel 30.40 



Net 9.05 



Thus the above statement of cost and return gives a net profit of 

 $9.05 per acre under favorable conditions, with average good farm- 

 ing. (F. B. 399.) 



Rice. In 1909 the farmers of Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas 

 received over $18,000,000 for their irrigated rice crop. The well- 

 drained, rich soil of that warm, humid region, when abundantly 

 supplied with water at the proper time, is well adapted to the needs 

 of this crop. Unlike most crops, rice must not only be flooded, but 

 the top soil must be kept either continuously moist or submerged for 

 a considerable part of the time. 



Potatoes. Potatoes and other root crops are irrigated by fur- 

 rows made midway between the rows. These furrows should not be 

 over 600 feet long, and in light sandy soils with little fall this dis- 

 tance should be reduced. Potatoes give good returns, both in yield 

 and value. Thus, in South Dakota a yield of from 300 to 500 



