544 FARM MANAGEMENT 



in seven that the farmer has worked this place. In spite 

 of this fact, he made a labor income of $1858. In 1908, 

 he made a labor income of $3536 with the same general 

 system of farming. 



The owner did the work with the help of one man for 

 seven months, and his son for seven months, with 

 some day help. In the winter, he does the chores alone. 

 The area of crops grown per man was 91 acres. In 1908, 

 when crops were better, more work was required in har- 

 vesting. The area of crops per man was then 76 acres. 



He now has at least 5 more horses than are needed, but 

 the cost of horses is kept very low, as they run loose 

 around the straw stacks and get grain and care only when 

 they work. 



A carload of lambs were bought in September and sold 

 January 1. These were used to clean up the fields and 

 stubble. 



The steers are not fattened much. They are used to 

 work up the roughage on the farm and are sold to local 

 butchers. This is very different from finishing steers for 

 the market with grain feed. In the region where this 

 farm is located, it is rarely possible to fatten steers on 

 grain at a profit, because one cannot compete with the 

 meat produced in the regions where grain is very much 

 cheaper. These steers were far from fat, as indicated 

 by the price received for them. 



The farm stock used up the wheat, oats, and bean straw, 

 and corn stalks, probably amounting to 100 tons in all. 

 They also had 38 tons of hay, 300 bushels of corn, and 

 about 540 bushels of oats. It is at once evident that the 

 animals received little grain. In 1908, when crops were 

 good, the farmer fed almost three times as much grain per 

 animal. 



