14 ONE OF THE GREAT QUESTIONS 



own time, the value of his land, or the cost of his horses 

 and machinery, in estimating his profits on grain. 



If he has a crop of ioo acres of wheat that will clear 

 $500 for him after reckoning the value of seed, the cost 

 of help and the expense of threshing, he puts it down at 

 $500 profit, though he has put most of his year's time 

 into it, besides maintaining the land and an equipment of 

 horses and machinery worth several hundred dollars. 



The following table showing the relative value of crops 

 is based on my own experience : 



Gross Net 



Wheat per acre $ 15.00 $ 8.00 



Field-corn 30.00 20.00 



Sweet potatoes 150.00 1 10.00 



Potatoes 125.00 75-°o 



Onions 250.00 150.00 



Cucumbers 200.00 150.00 



Strawberries 300.00 200.00 



Cherries 200.00 ; . 150.00 



'Apples 250.00 200.00 



Clover 25.00 20.00 



Alfalfa 45-oo 30.00 



Timothy 20.00 i5-oo 



Millet 25.00 20.00 



Live stock and dairying can be figured on the acreage 

 basis, just as easily as grain or fruit. If a farmer with 

 50 acres handles 25 cows and clears $1,000 after paying 

 for help, his net profit is $20 per acre. 



A man with 20 acres can easily handle 100 hogs a year, 

 which will net $1,000 to $1,500. A profit of $10 per head, 

 or $1 ,000, is $50 per acre. This is at least treble as much 

 as can be made from grain, and the work is a great deal 

 less. 



If the small farm will serve to render rural life more 

 attractive, shorten the workday and arouse interest 



