FAE.MING IN SOUTHWESTEEN KENTUCKY. 5 



lespedeza with red clover and raise more live stock, the most funda- 

 mental and important problem in farming for this locality will be 

 solved. 



RETURNS FROM LIVE STOCK. 



While crop yield is one of the more important factors in farming, 

 the return from live stock is just as important in proportion to the 

 amount it contributes to the receipts of the farm. In general, live 

 stock is kept on the farm to serve three major purposes: (1) To in- 

 crease the value of grain and feedstuffs on the farm by feeding them ; 

 (2) to utilize waste products; and (3) to maintain the fertility of the 

 soil. The analysis of 342 southwestern Kentucky farms showed that 

 the profits in farming increased with the increase in the amount of 

 live stock kept on a given area of land. Farms that had the equiva- 

 lent of one cow or horse to T or 8 acres of land were almost invariably 

 more profitable than those that had a higher acreage per animal. 

 The same records showed also that crop yields increased with the 

 increased amount of live stock kept on a given area of land. 



An important cause of loss on unsuccessful farms in this region is 

 the waste of feed on live stock, especially of corn fed to hogs. Com 

 is now a high-priced feed and it occupies a considerable portion of 

 the crop area on each farm, so that unless great care is exercised in 

 feeding it the farm will suffer loss. 



A common way to measure profits in live stock is to compare net 

 receipts from live stock (gross receipts less value of purchases) with 

 the value of feedstuffs consumed. The average of 342 farms showed 

 that $107.57 in net receipts was made for each $100 worth of products 

 fed. These products were valued at farm prices and included the 

 farmer's estimate of the charge for pasture. The average of the best 

 39 farms had $226 net receipts for each $100 worth of feed consumed 

 and had an average labor income of $1,155. The' average of 46 farms 

 showing greatest loss in feeding was $33 loss for each $100 worth of 

 feed consumed. These farms showed a minimum labor income of 

 $84. A great deal- of the material consumed as feed could not be 

 valued, for if not consumed in this way it would have been largely 

 waste. 



TYPE OF FARMING. 



The usual type of farming carried on in southwestern Kentucky is 

 wheat, tobacco, and general live-stock farming, these enterprises being 

 the three main sources of income. Small farms usually find it profitable 

 to specialize on some particular enterprise, such as tobacco, dairying, 

 or hay. Diversity of crops and live stock, however, is an important 

 factor on such farms. The larger the farm the more important the 

 wheat crop becomes, but successful farms of this type have large 



