598 READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



There is no use in planting crops if the yield is so poor or the 

 labor so great as to make a profit impossible. 



Many farmers on small places hire out for various kinds of 

 work and thereby increase their incomes. 



In many instances, it is better to remain a tenant on a large 

 farm rather than buy a place that is too small for efficient farm- 

 ing. This problem is a hard one to answer, because of the 

 uncertainty as to the rise in land values. If prices are likely 

 to rise much in the region, it will pay to change from tenant to 

 owner sooner than would otherwise be desirable. 



For general farming, one should ordinarily hesitate to work 

 a farm unless he can raise* 80 acres of crops on it or can rent 

 additional land. 



Conclusions as to the best size of farm. Many farmers get 

 their start on smaller places and by economy are able to save 

 money, but for general farming or. dairy farming there are great 

 advantages in having at least 150 acres of land. On the aver- 

 age farm studied, this would include about 80 acres of crops. 

 An area that provides for 100 to 200 acres of crops is very 

 much better. 



There are many farm operations that require two men. On a 

 one-man farm, the horses are kept out of the field whenever the 

 farmer does chores, hand work, or goes to town. On a two-man 

 farm, one man may be using all the horses while the other man 

 does other work. If there are four or five horses on the place, 

 the man who is working the teams may be driving three or four 

 horses, and at the same time the other man may make a trip 

 to town with one horse. All the horses are then kept at work. 

 A farm with five horses has a great advantage in being able to 

 adjust the size of team to machinery and work. It allows a five- 

 horse team ; a four-horse team or two two-horse teams, with a 

 single horse for other work ; or allows a three- and a two-horse 

 team. By these means, the labor of men and machinery is econ- 

 omized and work can be more promptly done. The chores are 

 frequently done by the man not working the team, again keep- 

 ing the horses in the field. It is almost impossible to keep the 

 horses busy on a one-man farm. 



