FARM MANAGEMENT IN CATAWBA COUNTY, N. C. 



13 



The cotton crop occupied 19 per cent of the crop area in 1912 and 

 15 per cent of the area in 1918. The average yield per acre was 

 0.6 bale (301 pounds) in 1912 and 0.59 bale (293 pounds) in 1918. 

 In 1912 and 1918, 18 farmers raised no cotton. With the exception 

 of sweet potatoes, cotton returns higher receipts per acre than any 

 other crop that is extensively grown in this area. As has been 

 pointed out in the preceding pages, from the standpoint of receipts, 

 cotton is the leading enterprise. Table 1 (page 2) shows the in- 

 creasing importance of the cotton crop in this county since 1850 

 (see fig. 5). 



In 1912, with cotton selling at 11.5 cents per pound, the study 

 indicated that from 20 to 40 per cent of the crop land planted to 

 cotton gave the highest farm and labor income. That year 37 per 

 cent of all the farms came in that group. In 1918, with cotton selling 

 at 28.7 cents per pound, the farmers who had 10 to 30 per cent of 

 their crop land in cotton got the highest incomes. That year 63 per 

 cent of all the farms came in that group. 



Table 9 shows very strikingly the effect of high yields on income. 

 For example, in 1912 the farms had an average of 22.1 acres of cotton 

 per farm, but with a yield below the average made an average labor 

 income of $74, while the small farms that had an average of 9.1 acres 

 per farm, but with a yield above the average, made an average labor 

 income of SI 89 per farm. The farmers who had the largest acreage 

 in cotton and the highest yields per acre made an average labor 

 income of S683. 



Table 9. — Effect of increased yields of cotton per acre on farm income and labor income 

 on ltO farms for 1912 and 84 farms for 1918 with over 20 per cent of their crop acreage in 

 cotton. Catawba County, X. C. 





1912 



1918 



[tern. 



Yield of301 pounds 

 or less per acre. 



Yield of over 301 

 pounds per acre. 



Yield of 293 pounds 

 or less per acre. 



Yield of over 293 

 pounds per acre. 





acres or 



Over 50.8 

 crop 

 acres. 



:,n.- crop 

 m-p' in- 

 less. 



Over 50.8 

 crop 

 acres 



47.9 crop 



acres or 



less. 



Over 17.9 

 crop 

 acres. 



17. :> crop 

 acre oi 



less. 



Over 47.9 

 crop 

 acres. 



Number of term . - . 



field pet 

 Farm Income 



9.7 



! 



26 



22.1 



242 

 1451 



71 



lis 

 9.1 



369 



$3HN 



189 



14 



27.9 



396 



* 1,423 



683 



39 

 9.1 



$727 

 466 



11 



20.2 



•J'j:. 



H.266 



647 



22 

 7.9 



371 

 |1. 106 



711 



12 



L9. I 



361 

 $2,076 



1, |SS 











In 1918 the farms thai had an average of '_'<). '2 acres of cotton per 

 farm, but with a yield below the average, made an avei laboi 

 income of $647, while the small farms that had only T.'.t acres «»i 

 cotton per farm, hut with a yield above the average, made a labor 

 income of $744. The \i farmers averaging 19.4 acres of cotton per 



