10 BULLETIN 548, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



skim milk was sold, showing that much of it must have gone practi- 

 cally to waste. 



FARM NO. 7. 



Size of farm acres . . 82 



Number of cows 30 



Number of other animal units 30 



Total capital, owner and tenant $13, 661 



Working capital, owner and tenant 3, 396 



Tenant's capital 1, 698 



Total receipts 5, 134 



Receipts from dairy 3, 446 



Expenses 2, 032 



Farm income, owner and tenant 3, 102 ' 



Tenant 's farm income 1, 594 



Tenant 's labor income 1, 509 



Owner's profit on investment per cent. . 12. 6 



This farm was operated by a tenant who had a half interest in 

 the working capital of the farm, which included the investment in 

 machinery, live stock, feed, and supplies, and cash to run the business. 

 Business expenses were shared equally, as were also receipts. The 

 tenant with the help of two year-hands and some extra labor per- 

 formed the work. There were three work horses. Forty-five acres 

 of the farm were in corn for silage, 33 acres in pasture, 2 acres waste, 

 and 1 acre for garden. Receipts from other sources than dairy cows 

 were mainly from young stock. There were no receipts from crops. 



THE FARMS THAT FAILED. 



The three unprofitable farms of the ten were inefficiently organized 

 and operated. Apparently these farmers depended mainly on dairy 

 products for an income; but as they did not stock their farms with 

 enough cows to make it worth while to spend their time at dairying, 

 there could be no other result than failure. This is strikingly true of 

 farm No. 8, which could not be classed as a dairy farm except on 

 the ground that the four cows kept were the main source of income. 

 These farms kept no regular hired laborers and a very small amount 

 of extra labor was hired. 



About the only comment that can be made upon these farms is 

 that the operators were wasting their opportunities. They had 

 fair-sized farms, but each was operating a small-sized business. The 

 quality of the cows was poor, as shown by receipts, and no doubt 

 much of the milk was wasted. Tho usual bluegrass farm in this 

 section keeps from two to eight cows to supply milk to the family 

 and laborers. . It does not pay a farmer to give special attention to 

 the dairy business unless there are a sufficient number of cows to 

 warrant special equipment and the application of most of his time. 

 He must develop and maintain a profitable market. If cream or 



