14 



BULLETIN 425, U. S. DEPAKTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



FAMILY INCOME. 



From the standpoint of economic well-being the family income is 

 the item of greatest importance in the operation of the farms in the 

 cut-over district. In computing labor income the value of the 

 family labor is properly considered an expense and is charged against 

 the farm, but labor income is merely a measure of the success of 

 the business management of the farm, while family income is the real 

 measure of the resources available each year to meet all obligations. 

 If the farm is free of debt, the entire family income is available to 

 the farmer and his family to meet the expense of living and to get 

 ahead. In addition they have a home and what the farm furnishes 

 toward the family living. Table 5 classifies these farms on the basis 

 of family income. 



Table 5. — Farms classified on basis of family income. 

 [Average of 801 farms.] 





Less than 0. 



to S?300. 



S301to$500. 



$501 to 

 SI, 000. 



SI, 001 or 

 more. 



Family innomfi 



-S140 



46 



6 



?162 



216 



26 



$397 

 1S3 

 23 



$710 

 231 



29 



$1,457 

 125 







16 







This table shows that only 6 per cent of the farms failed to make 

 incomes above farm expenses. A study of the records of the farms 

 with mijius family incomes gave evidence that at least some of these 

 families have small incomes from outside sources. Of the 801 farms, 

 16 per cent produced a family income above $1,000; 29 per cent, 

 $501 to $1,000; and 23 per cent, from $301 to $500. 



LABOR INCOME. 



For the year 1914, 3 per cent of the farms surveyed made an aver- 

 age labor income of $1,450, 9 per cent $700, 11 per cent $398, and 

 28 per cent $134. The following table shows that 51 per cent of the 

 801 farms studied made plus labor incomes. 



Table 6. — Farms classified on basis of labor iyicome. 

 [Average of SOI farms.] 





Less than 0. 



to $300. 



$301 to $500. 



$501 to 

 $1,000. 



$1,001 or 

 more. 



Labor income. 



-$2S0 



395 



49 



$134 

 922 



Is 



$398 

 88 

 11 



$700 



72 



9 



$1,450 

 24 



Nnmhftr of farms 



Percentage of farms . 



3 







These figures were secured for the crop year 1914, The year was 

 somewhat abnormal in the small price received for potatoes, and in 

 some of the areas studied the yield of oats was quite low because of 



