V. THE FARMER'S BUSINESS 



SOME IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR SUCCESS IN 

 GENERAL FARMING AND IN DAIRY FARMING 



By Professor G. F. Warren, Cornell University 



(From Bulletin No. J4Q, College of Agriculture. Cornell University) 



INTRODUCTION 



FOR eight years the Department of Farm Management has been 

 studying farms in order to learn why some farms pay better 

 than others. Records have been obtained from 6 townships in 

 Tompkins County, 5 townships in northern Livingston County, 

 and 5 townships in Jefferson County. Records have also been 

 obtained for a considerable number of farms in different parts of 

 the state, in all 2743 farms. In addition to these records used 

 for systematic study, probably over 1000 records have been 

 made out for their home farms by students in this department. 

 These have not been tabulated, but are in accord with the prin- 

 ciples here given. Similar work has been clone in 14 other 

 states. So far as the work in other states has been published 

 and so far as the writer has heard it discussed in lectures, the 

 same principles are shown to apply. 



Distinction between a successful farm and a successful farmer. 

 Profitable farms are usually not readily told by casual observation. 

 A farmer who is not in debt may have a well-kept place and be 

 living well, but not be making interest on his capital. His farm 

 may make a good home, but it cannot be called a good business 

 unless it pays interest on the capital invested and good wages for 

 the farmer's labor. Another farmer who is in debt for his place 

 and who has to pay interest may be running a much more suc- 

 cessful farm and yet have little money left over for good living. 



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