594 



READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



The relation of the number of acres of crops to the yield of 

 crops is shown also in Table 15, The farms with less than 20 



TABLE 15. RELATION OF ACRES OF CROPS TO LABOR INCOME. 

 578 FARMS, LIVINGSTON COUNTY, NEW YORK 



Acres of Crops 



Average 



Acres of 



Crops 



Number 

 OF Farms 



Labor 

 Income 



Crop Yields 



Compared 



WITH the 



Average of 



THE Region 



(Per cent) 



20 or less 

 21-40 . . 

 41-60 . . 

 61-80 . . 

 81-100 . 

 101-140 . 

 Over 140 



14 

 31 

 51 

 69 

 90 

 118 

 193 



18 

 55 

 95 



"5 

 95 



112 



$24 

 257 

 400 

 481 

 642 



937 

 1261 



75 

 102 

 103 

 102 



lOI 



103 



100 



acres of crops have poor crops, probably because they cannot 

 afford the necessary machinery. Aside from this there seems to 

 be no relationship between the acres of crops grown and the 

 yields per acre. 



Results in other states. Bulletin 41 of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, pp. 24-29, shows that the same 

 principles governing the size of farm apply in Iowa, Illinois, and 

 Indiana. Few farms of less than 160 acres were giving good 

 labor incomes. The labor cost per acre of crops was high on 

 small farms. The acres of crops raised per horse was low and the 

 cost of machinery was very high on the small farms. The crop 

 yields were as good on the large farms as on the small ones. 



Relation of area in crops to profits. Probably a more accurate 

 way of measuring the size of farms is to compare the area in 

 harvested crops. This is in addition to pasture, woods, and other 

 land not cropped. Results of such a comparison are shown in 

 Table 15. The results for the other counties agree with those 

 here published. 



Most of the economies in production are dependent on the 

 area of crops grown. Five horses can raise 100 to 125 acres of 



