810 SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



acre, $80.23, is contained in $2000, or 25 acres. At the net profit received, 

 $39.33, per acre, this would give a profit of $983. 



On the extensive plan $2000 would finance as many acres as the cost 

 per acre of production, $35.08, is contained in $2000, or 57 acres. At the 

 net profit per acre, $17.92, this would give a profit of $1022. 



Where plenty of land is available, a little greater profit on the capital 

 in hand could be secured from the extensive method. In the absence 

 of available land, one would be fully justified in increasing the intensity 

 of farming to the limit given in the above table. To go beyond this point 

 in the production of potatoes under the conditions that prevailed would 

 likely have resulted in a reduction in profit. 



Crop Yields on Successful Farms. — Agricultural surveys show that 

 there are some farms that produce crop yields much above the average, 

 but fail to make good labor incomes. This may be due to any one of 

 several causes. It frequently is due to poor management and too great 

 a cost in production. It is sometimes due to feeding the crops to unprofit- 

 able cows. A man may produce large yields at low cost, which, if sold 

 for cash, would bring good returns, but when fed to unproductive cows, 

 may cause a loss instead of a gain. It requires a careful consideration of 

 all the factors of production in order to know how much above the average 

 yields it is safe to go and still reap the largest profits. It is well not to 

 attempt to increase the yields more than 25 per cent over the average of 

 the locality, providing one's land is of no more than average fertility and 

 other conditions are no better than the average. This applies to general 

 farm crops. In case of more intensive crops, the upper limit is likely to 

 be higher rather than lower. Yields may apply to animals as well as 

 crops. As previously stated, crop yields in several comities in New York 

 where the labor income was much above the average ranged from 18 to 

 27 per cent better than average crop yields. There Avere a number of 

 instances when large crop yields were accompanied by low labor income. 



Intensity in Dairying. — The degree of intensity in dairy farming 

 depends chiefly upon the relative prices of feed, labor and dairy products. 

 Near large cities with high-priced feed, costly land and excellent markets, 

 intensity may be quite marked. Under such conditions it may pay to 

 resort to the growing of soiling crops, roots and silage, and provide no 

 pasture whatever. Under such conditions it will be most profitable to 

 produce market milk. Butter, which is easily transported long distances 

 at low cost, can be more economically produced in sections remote from 

 markets where land and feed are much less expensive. One represents 

 intensive dairying, the other extensive dairying. In one case it is essential 

 to use very productive cows and to feed heavily and carefully. In the 

 other, the poorer grade of cows may be used and a poorer quality and 

 smaller quantity of feed may give fair results. This fact seems to be 

 recognized by dairymen, and milk production is carried on extensively 

 near the large cities, whereas the production of butter is being most exten- 



