INCOME FROM FARMLANDS 135 



the forest lands would take practically all of number five and about 

 half of number four with very little of class I-III. For this reason 

 it is quite safe to say that for the same use, the lands now in fields, 

 etc., should by virtue of their fertility produce a much larger return 

 than the forest lands. This as will be seen, they do only for the 

 gross income in which a large per cent is labor, but they fail to do 

 this for net income, clearly proving the superiority, at present prices, 

 of the forest uses when judged by net income. 



i. Income from field and farm land in the United States. 



For over thirty years the United States Census authorities have 

 gathered farm statistics. Of late the United States Department of 

 Agriculture and also some of our Agricultural Experiment Stations 

 have checked, verified and amplified this work and have generally 

 proven the accuracy of the work of the Census.* 



In discussing the income from land used in farming it is neces- 

 sary to keep separate the income from the crop and that from the 

 animals, etc., which represent a separate investment. 



The total value of the farm crops in the United States, includ- 

 ing the value of the material fed to live stock, was reported in cir- 

 cular 132, as taken from the Census of 1910, at 5,487 million dollars, 

 or $860 per farm. The average farm has 138 acres, of which 75 

 acres are improved land. Allowing only 50% for cost of produc- 

 tion, exclusive of rent of land, the 138 acres of farm land produce 

 a gross crop income of $6.24 per acre, or a net crop income of $3.12. 

 Even if referred to the 75 acres of improved land only the gross crop 

 income is $11.40 and net $5.70 an acre. 



United States Bulletin 645, 1914, p. 23, gives the "Yearly value 

 per acre of ten crops combined." The crops are corn, wheat, oats, 



* See United States Crop Reporter for 1911 for cost of producing wheat, 

 oats and potatoes in the United States. 



Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station bulletin 266 cost of producing corn 

 in Ohio, 1913. 



United States Farmers' Bulletin 641, 1914, cost of producing cotton. 



United States Farmers' Bulletin 635, what the farm contributes directly 

 to the farmer's living, 1914. 



United States Farmers' Bulletin 645, Agricultural Outlook, 1914, p. 23, 

 yearly value per acre of the ten most important crops combined for 1866-1914. 



Bulletin 41, United States Department of Agriculture, 1914, farm manage- 

 ment survey of three representative areas in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. 



Farmers' Bulletin 665, 1915, Agricultural Outlook for farm wages in the 

 United States; Farmers' Bulletin 570, 1913, and circular I3^-A, 1913, which 

 discuss the farmers' income, using Census of 1910. 



