STUDY OF SMALL, FAEMS NEAR WASHINGTON. 13 



is probably greater than that of the fertilizer used. The supply of 

 stable manure in the city is limited, however, and some farmers are 

 unable to get the required amount. 



The importance of maintaining enough humus in the soil is ap- 

 preciated by all the experienced farmers. Barnyard manure is their 

 chief reliance for this purpose, though rye, crimson clover, or cow- 

 peas are sown occasionally, to be plowed under as green manures. 

 The growing of winter cover crops could be practiced to good advan- 

 tage much more commonly. Most of the crops grown on these farms 

 are cultivated throughout the summer, furnishing an excellent seed- 

 bed in the fall for rye or some winter legume to be^plowed under the 

 following spring. Such crops furnish considerable humus to the soil, 

 which the trucker finds it increasingly difficult to supply, and also 

 tend to prevent serious washing of the soil in the spring. The winter 

 cover crop should be plowed under while the stems are still succu- 

 lent, and the land then very thoroughly worked before the truck 

 crop is planted. 



INCREASING ACREAGE BY DOUBLE-CROPPING. 



Much of the crop land on these farms is double-cropped. The 

 farmers with 20 acres and under of tillable area raise two crops dur- 

 ing the year on about 30 per cent of their crop land, and those with 

 over 20 acres of tillable area raise two crops on about 20 per cent of 

 their crop land. This is a profitable method of increasing the crop 

 acreage on small farms. The above-mentioned two groups of farms 

 were subdivided into two groups each, those double-cropped on less 

 than 25 per cent of their crop area, and those double-cropped 25 per 

 cent and over of their crop area. The labor incomes of the farmers 

 in the first group were $89 for those double-cropping less than 25 

 per cent of their crop area and $295 for the rest, while in the second 

 group the labor incomes were, respectively, $658 and $1,162. 



The importance of having crops growing all the time can not be 

 overemphasized. Manj^ truck crops require only a portion of the 

 season for reaching maturity. // it is not possible to follow or pre- 

 cede the short-growing crop with another truck crop, a winter cover 

 crop or summer legume should be sown, to be plowed under to im- 

 prove the soil. 



The number of acres double-cropped also materially affects 

 efficiency in the use of horses. The crops worked per horse for the 

 above-mentioned groups as subdivided on double-cropping were 5.9 

 acres for those in the first group who double-cropped less than 25 

 per cent of their crop area, and 9.1 for the rest, and 10.7 and 12.7 

 acres, respectively, for those in the second group. The efficient em- 

 ployment of horses is very important on these small farms, where 



