124 OREGON FARMER 



TYPICAL SUCCESSFUL FARMS, 



By E. B. LEMON, 



Assistant Statistician. 



State of Oregon contains 96,699 square miles or approxi- 

 mately 62,000,000 acres. It embraces a larger territory than 

 the combined area of the six New England states, Maryland 

 and New Jersey. The two largest of its thirty-four counties cover 

 an area equal to the States of Maryland and Vermont, while its 

 smallest county is nearly one-half as large as Rhode Island. Accord- 

 ing to the Census of 1910, the average size Oregon farm is 255 acres, 

 although the state has a single farm one-fourth the area of Rhode 

 Island and a large number ranging in size from one-thirtieth to 

 one-fifteenth of that entire state. 



In this vast area within the Oregon boundary, physical and climatic 

 conditions vary considerably. To describe farms typical of all these 

 divisions and conditions would require a book of itself. However, as 

 indicated on page 7, the state naturally falls into six divisions 

 as far as topography is concerned. Even in these divisions conditions 

 are diversified, but it is possible to find a large number of farms 

 which are typical of the general characteristics of numerous successful 

 farms of the respective localities. It is, therefore, the purpose of 

 this article to briefly describe one farm of this type in each of the 

 six divisions mentioned above. 



The Coast Division, which extends across the entire western 

 portion of the state, is devoted largely to the dairying industry. 

 General farming is engaged in to some extent, and farms devoted 

 to stock raising exclusively are not uncommon. Some localities 

 are also giving considerable attention to fruit growing. The latter 

 industries, however, give way to the first mentioned in importance, 

 for the coast region is admirably adapted to dairying. 



Coast Division. 



The survey of the Coast Division indicates that the leading farms 

 contain about 160 acres. In all, 176 farms were visited and of this 

 number 56 contain between 81 and 160 acres and 55 between 161 

 and 320 acres. It is also interesting to note that it is these farms 

 which are paying the highest rate of interest on the capital invested. 

 This being the case, and also since dairying is the leading industry 

 in the Coast Region, farm Number Three will be described as being 

 typical of this division. 



Farm Number Three contains 150 acres of which 50 are in cultiva- 

 tion, 25 in meadow, and 75 in pasture. The pasture is mostly hilly, 

 while the portion in cultivation is bottom land, the soil being clay 

 loam. The average market value of this land, including a $1,200 

 dwelling and an equal amount invested in other buildings, was 

 estimated by the owner to be $175 an acre, making a total real estate 

 investment of $26,250. However, the principal source of profit is a 



