THE FARMER'S INCOME 1 



By W. J. Spillman, Agriculturist in Charge of the Office of 

 Farm Management 



INTRODUCTION 



IT HAS never been possible to secure accurate data on the 

 average income of American farmers. It happens, however, 

 that the data collected in the census of 19 10, combined with 

 certain factors worked out in the experience of the Office of Farm 

 Management in conducting farm-management surveys, render it 

 possible to arrive at a sum which, if increased by two small 

 unknown items, and decreased by one rather large but unknown 

 item, would represent the farmer's net income. The two additions 

 probably do not balance the one deduction, so that the actual net 

 income is almost certainly less than the sum given in the table. 



LABOR INCOME OF FARMERS IN THE UNITED STATES 



26S 

 269 



276 

 277 

 277 



Item 



Number of farms 



Improved land 



Total farm investment 



Investment in farm buildings .... 

 Investment in implements and machinery 



Total 



Amount 

 ier Farm 



6,361,502 138. 1 acres 3 



47S.45 1.750 acres 7;. 2 acres 



S40.991449.090 $6443.67 

 36,325,451,528 S994.33 

 S1.265.149.7S3 S19S.S8 



1 Issued July'ic), 1913. 



2 Abstract of Thirteenth Census. 



3 Average total area per farm. 



4 Four and one-half per cent in New England, New Vork. Pennsylvania, 

 Michigan, and Wisconsin; 5 per cent in Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, 

 Missouri, Ransas, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, 

 Ohio, and Indiana; 5^ per cent elsewhere. 



5 Includes unpaid family labor and all the farm furnishes toward the family 

 living except milk and cream. Does not include income from outside sources, 

 and the amount paid for live stock bought must be deducted from this sum. 



630 



