278 FAEM MANAGEMENT 



on the present number. The combined farms could be 

 farmed with one less horse than the separate farms. 

 This would make an average of 88 acres of crops, 16 cows, 

 and 3.4 horses per farm. Some farmers have made this 

 change and prospered thereby. 



178. A dairy region in Illinois. McHenry County, 

 Illinois, is an important dairy region. The farms average 

 129 acres with 68 acres of crops and 18 cows. There is an 

 average of 2.1 acres of crops per animal unit. The 

 farmers in this region usually raise most of their feed, 

 raise corn for hog feed, and small grain and corn for sale. 

 The combination of dairying with cash crops and hogs 

 raised on home-grown corn makes a very good business. 

 Some farmers in this region sell little but milk. Usually 

 they are not doing as well as those that follow diversified 

 farming. 



Dairy farms follow the same principle as other American 

 farms, they tend to the family size. About fifteen to 

 twenty cows is the average number that a family can care 

 for. Of course, some are larger and some are smaller. 

 The farmers in McHenry County are doing fairly well. 

 With only $202 worth of hired labor they raise an average 

 of 68 acres of crops, keep about 18 cows, and raise hogs 

 and young stock. There is a total of 32 animal units per 

 farm. 



179. Farms in the corn-belt. Shelby County, Iowa, 

 is typical of considerable of the corn-belt. It is a good 

 county to study, because it does not have large cities that 

 result in the mixture of many types of farms. Most of 

 the farms in this county are typical corn farms. 



In 1909, there were 58 acres of corn per farm, 31 acres of 

 small grain, 23 acres of hay, and less than an acre of pota- 

 toes. There was an average of 6 work animals, 27 cattle, 



