December, 1931] Daiey Farming in Grafton County 



55 



seedings which provide a desirable clover hay do not have a predomi- 

 nant influence on crop index because of the relatively small total 



acreage. 



Regardless of all these considerations, crop indexes above the aver- 

 age did show a considerable tendency to increase labor incomes (Ta- 

 ble 44). They were assisted somewhat by better production per cow, 

 larger businesses, and more work accomplished per man. 



Milk Production Per Cow 



Something of the quality distribution of cows among the farms of 

 this region and the effect of that characteristic on labor incomes are 

 shown in Table 45. The average total production of milk per cow for 

 395 farms was 5,150 pounds. This is not high. The cows in Livingston 

 County, New York, which represented a less important proportion of 

 farm receipts, averaged 5,658 pounds exclusive of milk fed to calves.* 

 In Madison and Chenango Counties, New York, the cows on 114 farms 

 produced an average of 7,010 pounds of milk per cow in 1925-1926. ^'^ 

 Average milk production per cow had not been below 6,000 pounds in 

 this area for five years. 



It seems deplorable that 54 farmers out of this group should be at- 

 tempting to produce milk in this day and generation with a produc- 

 tion averaging less than 3,000 pounds per cow. If this situation is due 



Table 45 — Relation of milk production per cow to labor income. 



