2 HULL F.TIN W2, r. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ing out part of his acreage. Of 217 farms operated by colored 

 farmers, only a few are owned, and nearly all are of less than 100 

 acres. Seven out of every ten of these farms are worked almost en- 

 tirely by the negro operator and his family. The general system of 

 operation in vogue in Sumter County is typical of farming operations 

 throughout a large part of the cotton belt. 



SUMMARY OF RESULTS. 



Following is a brief resume of the more significant facts brought 

 out or substantiated by this investigation: 



Farm profits on these farms for the year of the survey (1913) were in 

 direct proportion, both to the number of acres in crops and the 

 yield of cotton per acre. 



On farms of approximately the same size, labor incomes were high 

 when the } T ield of cotton was high and low when the yield was 

 low. 



On owner farms of approximately the same size labor incomes were 

 high when percentage of crop area in cotton was high, and vice 

 versa. 



The white farmers of the area are getting a much higher yield per 

 acre than the colored farmers. 



Cotton, corn, oats, and cowpeas, in order, are the more important 

 crops of the region. 



Cotton occupies 59 per cent of the tilled area of the farms surveyed 

 and returns 89 per cent of the total farm receipts. 1 



Corn occupies over one-fourth of the tilled area and was grown on 

 every farm visited. Oats are the principal small-grain crop and 

 are also used for hay and pasture. Cowpeas for hay and seed 

 occupy about half as much land as corn. About 85 per cent of 

 the land utilized for a second crop in 1913 was in cowpeas. 



The cost of producing cotton, computed for 534 farms, was found to 

 average about 10.5 cents per pound of lint. 



The cost of producing cotton on these farms decreases with increase 

 in size of farm. The relative rate of reduction in cost due to 

 increase in acreage is greater for the farms ranging from small 

 to medium than for those ranging from medium to large. 



The cost of producing cotton on these farms decreases with increase. 

 in yield per acre. The reduction due to increased yield is rela- 

 tively greater for farms with yields ranging from low to medium 

 than for farms with yields ranging from medium to high. 



On farms with high yields of cotton per acre the cost per acre was 

 high but the cost per pound low. 



Aside from work stock, hogs constitute the most important class of 

 live stock. 



Of the cash expenditures of these farms, labor and fertilizer together 

 represent three-fourths or more of the total. 



In efficiency in utilizing labor, mules, and machineiy, the large farms 

 have a great advantage over the small ones. On the small white- 

 owner farm one mule works 10 acres of cotton and 11 acres of 

 other crops, while on the large farm one mule works 19 acres of 

 cotton and 10 acres of other crops. 



1 This nprrpntatrp nf rpppints is hnspfl nn n nvipp nf 15 rpnts npr nnnnri 



