STUDY OF FARMING TN SUMTER COUNTY, GEORGIA. 7 



to which these data pertain is 1913. In all, records from 005 farms 

 were received, but as a number of these were incomplete or ob- 

 viously inaccurate, only 534 records were used for the basis of this 

 study. 1 



UTILIZATION OF THE FARM AREA. 



The farms in this area range in size from about 50 acres to over 

 5,000 acres. On many of them a large proportion of the acreage is in 

 woodland, which is seldom used except for supplying wood for the 

 upkeep of buildings and fences, and on a few of the farms in supply- 

 ing a little winter employment in cutting wood for sale. On account 

 of a very wide variation among individual farms in the proportion 

 of the total area that is used for the farm business, it was necessary 

 in this study to use as a measure of the farm business the number of 

 acres of tilled land rather than the total number of acres. In all 

 tables in this bulletin where farms are classified into groups by size 

 of farm, the area of tilled land is used as the basis. 



5 In order to present the data clearly, certain terms which will be used throughout the 

 discussion are here defined. It is important that the reader thoroughly understand these 

 terms, as they will materially assist in the interpretation of the results. 



Tilled area. — The tilled area is the number of acres of the farm devoted to raising crops. 



Farm capital. — The farm capital is the average value of all real estate, improvements, 

 machinery, live stock, and other investment necessary to carry on the farm business. It 

 includes the value of the farmhouse, but not the household furnishings. 



Receipts.- — The farm receipts include the amount received from the sale of crops, the net 

 increase from stock, and the receipts from outside labor, rent of buildings, etc. The net 

 increase from stock is found by subtracting the sum of the amount paid for stock pur- 

 chases and the inventory value at the beginning of the year from the sum of the receipts 

 from stock products, sales of live stock, and the inventory value at the end of the year. 

 If the value of crops or supplies was greater at the end of the year than at the beginning, 

 the difference was considered a receipt. 



Expenses. — The farm expenses represent the amount of money paid out during the year 

 to carry on the farm business, plus the value of the labor performed by the family. If 

 the value of crops or supplies at the end of the year was less than at the beginning, this 

 was considered an expense. Household or personal expenses are not included. 



Farm income. — The farm income is the difference between the receipts and expenses. 

 It represents the amount of money available for the farmer's living above the value of 

 family labor, provided he has no interest to pay on mortgages or other debts. 



Labor income. — The labor income is the amount that the farm operator has left for his 

 labor after 5 per cent interest on the average capital is deducted from the farm income. 

 It represents what he earned as a result of his year's labor after the earning power of his 

 capital has been deducted. In addition to the labor income the operator received a house 

 to live in, fuel (when cut from the farm), garden products, milk, butter, eggs, etc. 



Owner. — The term " owner " is applied when the entire operation of a farm is directed 

 by the man who owns the farm or by someone hired in his stead. 



Owner additional.— The term " owner additional " is used when the man who owns and 

 directs the operation of a farm rents additional land and operates it in connection with 

 his own as one farm. 



Owner with part rented out. — When a man owns a farm and directs the operation of 

 part of it, renting the other part out for a specified amount, and assuming little or no 

 responsibility for its operation, he is termed an owner with part rented out. 



Tenant. — When a man rents a farm, furnishes all labor and equipment, directs its 

 entire operation, and pays the landlord cash or a fixed amount of cotton for the use of 

 the land he is termed a tenant. 



Landlord. — The landlord is the person who owns a farm which is rented to a tenant. 



