SOME SUCCESSFUL FARMS 563 



Survey work and studies of successful farms indicate 

 that the most important factors in the organization and 

 management of the farm are : (1) size of business (partic- 

 ularly the area in crops) , (2) diversity of the business, and 

 (3) production (crop yields and production per animal). 



Very few farms rank well in all these points. Some 

 farms are large enough, some are diversified, some have 

 good crop yields, some have good production for cows or 

 other animals. Most farmers have a hobby that is over- 

 done while other things are neglected. It requires 

 good judgment to keep the farm development properly 

 balanced. 



If a farmer gets crop yields and production per animal 

 a little better than the average and has a good-sized farm 

 and diversified business, he is almost certain to have a 

 profitable farm. 



Ordinarily there should be three or four important 

 products sold. That is, three or four specialties, no one 

 of which is neglected on account of the others. A care- 

 ful farmer may hope for crop yields a fifth better than 

 the average and production per animal a half better than 

 the average. With these conditions and a good-sized farm 

 he may hope for a labor income of three to five times the 

 average after he gets his business established. 



Good crop yields may be the result of having a better 

 farm than the average, using more fertilizer, or farming 

 better in other respects. Of these the better farm is 

 usually the cheapest way of increasing crops. But with 

 a better soil it pays to farm better in every respect. The 

 larger farm may be secured by ownership or rental accord- 

 ing to one's capital. 



Other minor points often prevent the profits from rising 

 as high as they might go if the entire business were well 



