790 



SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



the farm on a business basis with the expectation of making it pay. The 

 man trained as a farm manager or superintendent should be given much 

 latitude and allowed to plan the operations of the farm. The general 

 policies of operation may be outlined by the owner, but if it is to be 

 successful, he camiot expect to direct the management in any detail 

 without being thoroughly conversant with the business of farming. 



The Farmer's Labor Income. — Farm surveys in many sections of 

 the country have recently given us data showing the farmer's income. 

 It has never been possible to figure from statistical returns as printed by 

 the United States census exactly what the average farmer of the United 

 States makes. The last census, however, was somewhat more complete 

 than former ones, and when supplemented with a few facts established 

 by the office of farm management of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture, it has been possible to estimate closely the average labor 

 income of farmers of the United States. According to the last census 

 there were in round numbers 6,361,000 farms in the United States. The 

 average size of the farm was 138 acres, 75 acres of which were improved 

 and 50 acres of which were devoted to crops. The average farm invest- 

 ment was $6444, of which amount $994 was in buildings and $199 in 

 implements and machinery. The average gross farm income per farm 

 was $981 and the total expenses $340, leaving a net farm income of $640. 

 If interest on the investment at the rate of 5 per cent is deducted from 

 the net farm income, it leaves a labor income of only $318. This differs 

 very little from the average hired man's wages. 



There are many farmers having large farms that are living on the 

 interest of their investment. On the other hand, there are many who 

 are making very good labor incomes. 



The following table shows the average labor income of a considerable 

 number of farmers, taken just as they come in different sections of the 

 country for the years indicated in the table: 



Labor Income of Farmers in Different Parts of the United States 



Operated by Owners. 



Number of 

 Farms. 



6,361,502: 



193 



615 



County. 



State. 



: Average 

 Size. 

 Acres. 



United States 1 . 



Chemung 



Tompkins 



670 ' Jefferson . 



178 State. 



578 I Livingston . 



410.. . . 

 123... . 



77.... 



73.... 



Chester 



Clinton and Tipton . 

 Green and Guthrie . 

 Menard and Cass . . 



New York . . . 

 New York . . . 

 New York . . . 

 New York . . . 

 New York . . . 

 Pennsylvania 



Indiana 



Iowa 



Illinois 



138 



ios 



143 

 132 

 148 

 88 

 105 

 176 

 253 



Average 

 Value. 



§6,444 



4,642 



5,712 



9,006 



11,137 



12,037 



11,815 



17,535 



23,193 



51,091 



Labor 

 Income. 



$318 

 190 

 423 

 609 

 981 

 666 

 743 

 310 

 291 

 622 



Year':. 



1909 



1911 



1907 



1910 



1906-7 



1909 



1912 



1911 



1911 



1911 



1 Calculated from census figures. 



