FARMIISTG IN SOUTHWESTERN" KENTUCKY. 9 



tion and planting. To follow such, a system successfully requires 

 exceptional experience and good judgment on the part of the farmer. 



Such being the conditions, the proportioning of crops on the 

 land each year is an important factor in profitable farming in this 

 section. This proportion is in a general way quite uniform on farms 

 of the same size and type and has become very definitely established 

 by custom. Hence the successful farmer in this locality makes the 

 amount of each crop he should grow a matter of first importance, 

 and the rotation must be adapted more or less accordingly. 



The building up of the soil by means of lime, commercial fertil- 

 izer, legiunes, and live stock will undoubtedly result in more regular 

 systems of rotation. 



GOOD FARMING INCREASES THE VALUE OF THE LAND. 



The average price of land represented by the 342 farms studied 

 was $64 per acre, ranging generally from $50 to $150. The average 

 net earning capacity of the land, as previously stated, was $3.14 per 

 acre,^ so that the average price would just about be supported by 

 the earning capacity of the average farm, figuring interest at 5 per 

 cent, or about the net rate which farmers with money to loan can 

 get in this locality. Thus, if the average farm in this community 

 can be made to earn $5 per acre, the value of land here would be 

 pushed up to $100 per acre. This fact affords an opportunity for 

 increased profits to the farmer who has skill in growing crops and 

 live stock and who, besides, understands the principles of farm 

 organization for this locality. 



THE PRACTICAL VALUE OF STANDARDS OF FARM ORGANIZA- 

 TION. 



In nearly all inquiries made by farmers and others relative to 

 organizing and operating a farm, some or all of the following ques- 

 tions are asked: (1) What crops, and how many acres of each, should 

 be planted? (2) What kinds of live stock, and how many of each 

 kind, should be kept on the farm? (3) How much labor is required 

 to do the work, and how many work animals are needed? (4) How 

 much working capital is needed for live stock, machinery, and sup- 

 plies? (5) What should be the receipts and expenses for a year's 

 business on the farm? (6) What yields are to be expected from 

 crops, and what returns should be expected from the various kinds 

 of live stock ? 



Though these can not be answered with precision, all are practical 

 questions which every farmer should carefully consider, and which 



1 As was pointed out on page 3, $3.14 is what the average farm would earn for a 

 landlord if he rented it. This would be 5 per cent on a valuation of about $63 per acre. 



64337°— 18— Bull. 713 2 



