STUDY OF FARMING IN SUMTER COUNTY, GEORGIA. 



39 



relatively smaller areas on the small farm than on a good-sized one 

 and are not so easily kept continuously busy. Moreover, the over- 

 head charges are proportionately smaller on the larger farms. 



In Table XIV is shown the relation of size of farm to capital, re- 

 ceipts, expenses, farm income, and labor income on the white-owner 

 farms. The farmer on the farm of the smallest size group, with 

 $3,000 capital, made a farm income of $288 and a labor income of 

 $138. Even if these men were free from debt, so that the payment 

 of interest would not be necessary, they would rarely be able to 

 save any money after paying the year's living expenses out of a farm 

 income of $288. 



The men operating farms of from 51 to 100 tilled acres and having 

 twice as much capital as those of the first group are making a labor 

 income of $307, while the men with 101 to 150 tilled acres are making 

 a labor income of $636, which is over double that of the group below 

 them. The capital invested by the men in this group is over three 

 times that of the first-size group. 



Table XIV. — Relation of size of farm to capital, receipts, expenses, and income 

 an 160 farms operated by white owners, Sumter County Ga. 



Tilled acres per farm- 



Number 



of 

 farms. 



Average 

 capital. 



Receipts. 



Expenses. 



Farm 

 income. 



Labor 

 income. 





25 

 41 

 40 



S3, 000 

 6,365 

 10,226 



$794 

 1,773 

 3,186 



S.506 

 1,148 

 2,039 



S288 



626 



1,147 



S138 





307 





636 







Total, 150 and less tilled acres 



106 



7,028 



2,075 



1,333 



743 



391 





31 



12 

 11 



16, 190 

 30,921 

 53, 253 



5,749 

 8,639 

 17, 528 



3,565 

 5,682 

 11,642 



2,184 

 2,957 

 5,886 



1,374 





1,411 





3,223 









54 



27,013 



8,791 



5,681 



3,110 



1,759 









160 



13,773 



4,342 



2,800 



1,542 



853 







Of all the 160 farms operated by white owners, there were 66 per 

 cent with 150 or less tilled acres per farm. The average capital on 

 these farms was $7,028, and they made a labor income of $391. In 

 other words, two-thirds of these owners got on the average less than 

 $400 for their year's labor. The other one-third, with larger farms 

 and an average of $27,013 capital, made an average labor income of 

 $1,759. The volume of business on these farms was over four times 

 that on the farms of less than 150 tilled acres. The farms with the 

 larger business give in proportion larger profits, providing the 

 business is profitable. If, however, a farmer is doing a losing busi- 

 ness, the less he does of it the better. 



In Table XV is given the relation of the size of farm to capital, 

 receipts, expenses, and profits of the tenant, and the landlord's per 

 cent upon investment on 186 colored-tenant farms. Over one-half 

 of these tenants were on farms of 50 or less tilled acres, and with an 



