FARM MANAGEMENT PRACTICE OF CHESTER COUNTY, PA. 35 



rotation. On some farms it is beginning to occupy the whole of the 

 first two years. The greatest number of farms is in the group next 

 below that which appears to be the most profitable. But the farmers 

 here are increasing the percentage of their corn acreage very ma- 

 terially, as an examination of the census statistics for the last two 

 census years will show. In other words, the farmers are slowly re- 

 sponding to the economic pressure tending to drive them toward a 

 more profitable cropping system than that which now generally 

 prevails. 



The average percentage of corn area for the entire number of 

 farms (22.3 per cent) is in the group of Table X next below the 

 most profitable one. This study confirms the opinion of the most 

 progressive farmers of this region to the effect that they ought to 

 increase their acreage of corn. 



As previously stated, corn is here grown mostly for feed. But a 

 considerable number of farmers grow more of it than they need for 

 this purpose, selling a small surplus. Does it pay to do this ? Would 

 it pay 'better to sell all their corn, for which they can get very good 

 prices, rather than feed it to the classes of live stock kept on these 

 farms? 



It was found that 127 of the 378 owners sell some corn. In fact, 

 this crop constitutes the direct source of 2.3 per cent of the entire 

 receipts of the 378 farms. In nearly all cases where corn is sold, the 

 percentage of income from it is less than 20, and in only two cases 

 is it more than 26. In the greater number of cases it is less than 10 

 per cent. 



Table XI shows that the 251 farms that sell no corn make an 

 average labor income considerably less than the 121 farms that de- 

 rive from 1 to 19 per cent of their income from this source. 



Table XI. — Percentage of income from sale of corn as related to labor income. 



Per cent of income from sale of corn None. 



20+. 



Number of farms 



Adjusted labor income . 



251 

 95 



121 

 113 



It evidently pays to sell some corn. Unfortunately, the number of 

 farms in the next higher group is too small to give a decisive result, 

 but it is significant that the average labor income of these six farms 

 is exceedingly low. Apparently, it also pays to feed a part of the 

 corn. 



Potatoes. — On the farms here under consideration 6 per cent of the 

 crop area was devoted to potatoes. They were found on 366 of the 

 378 farms operated by their owners. This crop is, therefore, very 

 general in this region, though the acreage is usually small. In by 

 far the larger number of cases the acreage, expressed in percentage of 



