34 BTJTXETIN t35_, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF ACJRTCITLTURE. 



crop does not get much if the farm is badly handled or if the crops 

 are poor from any cause. Most of the cash-rented farms are owned 

 by absentee landlords, while many of the share-rented farms are 

 owned by farmers who live in the region and can supervise their 

 farms to some extent. 



The average value of the owned beet lands is $123.60 per acre, and 

 with interest at 8 per cent this item is by far the heaviest in the list 

 of costs of land for beets. The valuation given for share-rented lands 

 was $126.91 per acre and for lands that were rented for cash the value 

 was given as $134.19. These values are based upon the sale value as 

 estimated by the man operating the farm. The average value of all 

 sugar-beet land studied in the Billings region was $126.95. Assuming 

 that the cost of water for irrigation and the cost of taxes and miscel- 

 laneous items are the same for landlords as was found for owners of 

 beet lands (a total of $2.13 for these items), the landlords of the 

 region have an average of $7.36 per acre for interest on cash-rented 

 lands and $11.98 for interest on share-rented lands. This amounts 

 to interest at 5.5 per cent on the value as given per acre for cash- 

 rented lands and interest at 9.4 per cent on the value of share-rented 

 lands. 



RELATION OF YIELDS TO COST AND PROFIT. 



Seemingly there is the most profit in a crop of beets of about 14 

 tons or over per acre in the Billings region. The average profit per 

 acre, as shown by this stud} r , is the same for yields of more than 14 

 tons, but this should not be taken to indicate that to increase 

 the yields on this land so as to produce more than 14 tons 

 is to incur an expense that may not return a profit over and 

 above the cost of the extra labor. High yields per acre seem to be 

 associated with higher profits per acre. Most growers getting large 

 yields are men who use much manure on their beet lands, and it is 

 not correct to state that they do not get a profit on increasing the 

 yields, as they find employment during a time they might otherwise 

 be idle and have idle teams. In figuring the cost, allowance has been 

 made for the yard value of the manure and regular prices paid for 

 labor. The labor which is done in the winter and early spring is 

 profitable, as no profit would otherwise be shown. Horse labor espe- 

 cially will show a profit, as the teams would cost about the same for 

 keeping whether they were worked or not, and usually the work is 

 not hard. To disregard these facts and figure on the actual cost 

 might warrant the conclusion that increased yields are not profitable. 

 It would be difficult to give any definite yield as the limit of profitable 

 attainment, but it is reasonable to assume that it is higher than any 

 of the yields produced, and perhaps many tons higher. The growers 



