56 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



does not include any personal expenses, but includes the 

 value of board furnisbed to hired help. The difference be- 

 tween the receipts and expenses averaged $757. 



This $757 was earned by the farmer's money and the 

 work of the family. Money can readily be loaned on farm 

 mortgages at 5 per cent. Hence, only $481 can be said to 

 have been earned by the labor of the farmer and his family. 

 The unpaid farm labor by members of the family would 

 have cost about $58 if it had been hired. The farmer really 

 earned as his wages $423. This we call his labor income. 

 Hired men in this region get about $360, house rent and 

 some farm products. If a farmer's labor income is less than 

 this he might as well lend his money and hire out. 



About one-third of the farmers in Tompkins County are 

 making less than hired men's wages; one-third are making 

 wages ; and one-third make more than wages. 



Table 2 shows the same results for Livingston County. 

 The region is a very prosperous one and gives an average 

 labor income of $584. ' 



