SIZE OF FARMS 245 



good labor incomes, but the proportion of such failures is 

 smaller and the proportion of successes is much greater 

 on the larger farms. All of the very highest labor incomes 

 are made on large farms. Of the 52 farmers who had 50 

 acres or less, only 3 (or 6 per cent) made labor incomes of 

 over $1000. The highest was $1159. But of 201 farmers 

 with over 150 acres, 89 (or 45 per cent) made over $1000. 

 Of the' 199 farmers who farmed 100 acres or less, only two 

 made labor incomes as high as $1500. The highest was 

 $1747. But of the 201 farmers who worked over 150 acres, 

 46 made over $1500. The highest was $7250. 



This is a region of excellent soils ; several rather high- 

 priced crops, as cabbages, potatoes, and beans, are raised. 

 But there seems to be little chance of making a labor income 

 of over $1000 on 50 acres of land, and almost no chance of 

 making a labor income of $1500 unless one has over 100 

 acres. 



There are plenty of good men among the 199 who are on 

 farms of less than 100 acres. The reason for their chances 

 of profit being less than on the larger places must be due 

 to physical facts. 



The tenants on the larger farms are doing much better 

 than those on small farms. Not one of the tenants who 

 farm less than 50 acres is doing as well as he would if he 

 were a hired-man. (Table 38.) The landlords' profits 

 are not so much affected by size of farm. This is to be 

 expected, since the economy of the large farm is in labor 

 of men, horses, and machinery, none of which the land- 

 lord furnishes. 



Figure 62 shows how the labor income increases with 

 the size of farm. Up to 200 acres, it increases very rapidly 

 as the size increases. The increase from 127 to 175 acres 

 adds 58 per cent to the labor income. The larger acreage 



