it) FA KM MANAGEMENT 



18 per cent above those of the region. The average yields 

 for the region were: hay 1.4 tons, oats 41 bushels, wheat 



19 bushels, beans 16 bushels, potatoes 106 bushels. The 

 most successful farms secured nearly one-fifth larger yields. 

 If one were to compare the yields on these most successful 

 farms with the average of the state, the difference would be 

 greater, because the soils in this region are much better 

 than the average of the state. By comparing with the 

 neighbors in the same year, we see how much of the larger 

 yield is due to better methods or better soil than the 

 neighbors have. 



Something more than large crop yields is necessary for 

 large profits. There were 69 farmers in this region 

 whose crops were over 25 per cent above the average ; 

 28 of these farmers failed to make even average labor in- 

 comes, and only 29, or 42 per cent, made labor incomes 

 of over $1000. 



If we are to use only one measure of efficiency, size is 

 more important than quality. There were 112 farms of 

 over 200 acres ; 54 of these, or 48 per cent, made labor 

 incomes of over $1000. 



When both quality and size of business are combined, 

 the chances of success are much improved. There were 

 25 farms of over 200 acres on which the crop yields were 

 over 15 per cent above the average ; 17 of these gave labor 

 incomes of over $1000. If we included the additional 

 qualification that the animals kept be fairly productive, 

 nearly all of the farms left would be highly profitable. 



Of the eight large farms that failed to give a labor income 

 of $1000, seven failed because after having grown the good 

 crops, they fed them to animals that failed to pay, either 

 because of poor quality of animals or wrong kinds of 

 products, 



