OTHER FACTORS IN DIFFERENT REGIONS 285 



Barton County, Kansas, is one of the leading counties 

 in the production of hard winter wheat. Corn is more 

 frequently injured by drouth in this county, so that more 

 of the land is devoted to wheat. The average size of 

 farm has increased from 180 acres in 1880 to 305 acres in 

 1910. The most numerous size of farm is 260 to 499 

 acres. This means that half sections, 320 acres, are the 

 most popular size. 



In 1909, there was an average of 152 acres of wheat, 

 36 acres of corn, 19 acres of hay, and 3 acres of other crops 

 per farm, a total of 210 acres of crops raised per farm be- 

 sides caring for cattle, poultry, and other live-stock. Yet 

 the hired labor on these farms cost only $312, exactly the 

 same as on the farms of 62 acres in New Jersey. Although 

 five times the area, these farms are no larger than the 

 New Jersey farms in terms of man-labor. They are 

 family-farms, but there were 8 work animals per family 

 instead of 3. 



181. A spring wheat region. Lac qui Parle County, 

 Minnesota, is typical of much of the spring wheat region 

 of Minnesota and the Dakotas. As might be expected, 

 these farms are about the same size as in the winter wheat 

 region. With the driving of more horses per team, the 

 size of farms in this county has rapidly enlarged. In 

 1910, there were only half as many farms of 50-99 acres 

 as in 1900. The 80-acre farm is practically eliminated. 

 There are only three-fourths as many farms of 100-174 

 acres as there were ten years ago. The increases have 

 been in the 175- to 499-acre groups. 



In 1909, the crops grown per farm averaged 56 acres of 

 wheat, 33 of oats, 23 of barley, 24 of hay, 24 of corn, 7 of 

 flax, and 3 of other crops. This makes a total of 170 

 acres of crops per farm. In addition, there were approxi- 



