243 



The time spent in growing even an average crop in reasonable areas 

 pays the highest wages of any farm work. If a farmer has a large area of 

 crops, it not only indicates a good sized business, but indicates that the 

 farmer is doing a large amount of work that pays well. 



Crop Yields. 

 Increased yield per acre is important but not nearly so important as is 

 usually assumed. Table 11 shows the relation of yield to labor income, 

 when 100 per cent represents the average yield of the region. 



Table 11. — Relation of Crop Yields to Labor Income. 

 574 farms. 



Percentage Average Number of Labor 



yield. percentage farms. income. 



75 or less 67 58 $165 



76-85 81 60 219 



86-95 ^ 90 102 663 



96-105 • 101 116 570 



106-115 110 103 878 



116-125 120 66 951 



Over 125 138 69 1,090 



An increased yield per acre makes the business larger and if not carried 

 too far is a good thing. After one secures yields of perhaps a fifth better 

 than the neighbors on the same soil, he must be careful that his cost per 

 bushel for the increased crop is not more than the crop is worth. If the 

 neighbors on the same soil get one and a half tons of hay per acre, it may 

 pay to grow two tons. If under these conditions one wishes three tons, it 

 can usually be grown at less cost per ton on two acres than on one acre. 

 This is the reason why the acres of crops have more influence on profits 

 than does the yield per acre. 



Production Per Cow. 

 All dairy products are produced on a very close margin of profit. 

 It is very easy to feed cows so as to lose all that one has made by raising 

 crops. Table 12 shows the relation of receipts per cow to profits. Those 

 farmers who get over $75 per cow are the only ones who are making good 

 labor incomes. In this case, $75 per cow indicates about 6000 pounds of 

 milk. 



Table 12. — Receipts per Cow Related to Profits, Tompkins County, 



New York. 



Number of 

 Receipts per cow. farms. Labor income. 



$30 or less 18 $30 



31-50 97 316 



51-75 106 483 



76-100 53 715 



Over 100 33 1,325 



It will be seen that farmers who get average crops are often doing 

 very well but that it takes much better than average cows to pay. 



