STUDY OP FARMING IN SUMTER COUNTY, GEORGIA. 47 



In Table XXI is shown the relation of size of farm to distribution 

 of expenses on 186 colored-tenant farms. It will be observed that, 

 with the exception of a little labor in " chopping" and picking cotton, 

 all the labor on the farms of 50 or less tilled acres is performed by 

 the operator and his family. Even on the farms between 50 and 100 

 tilled acres the operator and his family did the greater portion of the 

 work. On the farms above 100 tilled acres in size the labor expense 

 was 53 per cent of the total expenses. Most of the additional labor 

 necessary in operating the large farms is performed by share crop- 

 pers. These men buy considerable feed, purchases averaging 2 per 

 cent for roughage and 5 per cent for grain feeds. Practically all this 

 purchased feed is for the keep of work mules, as the mule represents 

 about all the stock of the farm of this type, aside from a cow and a 

 few chickens. This item seems to be most important upon the very 

 small farms. 



The expense for fertilizer is 30 per cent of the total. This expense 

 averaged $100 per farm in the smallest-size group and $406 in the 

 largest-size group. Many of the tenants have little or no capital free 

 from mortgage, and in order to purchase fertilizer on credit they are 

 compelled to pay exorbitant prices to cover the greater risk. The ex- 

 pense for taxes averaged 4.5 per cent upon the smallest-size group 

 and 2.9 per cent on the largest-size group. Practically all the tenants 

 borrow money for the payment of operating expenses and pay rather 

 high interest rates. This item ranges from 3.5 per cent of the total 

 cash expenses in the smallest-size group to 2.2 per cent on the largest- 

 size group. Labor and fertilizer constitute three-fourths of the total 

 expenses of the 186 farms. 



RELATION OF SIZE OF FARM TO YIELD OF CROPS. 



In Table XXII is shown the relation between size of farm and 

 yield of crops on the 160 white-owner farms. 



In a region devoted strictly to crop farming, and especially where 

 the area devoted to one intensive crop, as cotton, occupies over one- 

 half of the available crop land, the yield and price received for this 

 crop becomes of first importance in relation to profits. The yield of 

 cotton is so closely associated to farm profits that the large farmer as 

 well as the small farmer is striving for maximum yields. It will, 

 therefore, be noticed from Table XXII that size of farm does not 

 materially influence the yield of cotton. 



The yield of corn varies in the several size groups, with a tendency 

 to somewhat higher yields upon the large farms. The three smaller 

 size groups are each below the average, 15 bushels, while the three 

 larger-size groups are each above that average. 



