s 



BULLETIN 851, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



whereas in Niagara County 55 per cent is in field crops and 45 per 

 cent in fruit. 



In this area may be found scattering 10- to 25-acre farms, with more 

 or less small fruit or truck crops, but the diversified farms usually are 

 from 80 to 150 acres in size. This gives opportunity to grow one or 

 more cash field crops and feed for the work horses and a limited 

 amount of live stock. By referring to Table IV it will be seen that 

 the average size of farm is about 120 acres. Ninety per cent of the 

 farm area is tillable ; 68 per cent of this tillable area is devoted to 

 the growing of crops ; 32 per cent is in fruit. 



Table IV. 



Average size of farms and acreage in crops (218 farms, western 

 New York). 





Wayne. 



Ontario. 



Monroe. 



Orleans. 



Niagara. 



Five 



counties. 





44 

 103. 34 

 91.67 

 13.88 

 19.60 

 58.19 

 18.54 



42 

 139. 21 

 127. 74 

 11.31 

 10.35 

 106. 08 

 21.26 



47 

 116. 03 

 105. 59 

 13.31 

 17.70 

 74.58 

 18.83 



50 

 121.10 

 110. 57 

 17.04 

 22.99 

 70.54 

 19.77 



35 

 113.24 

 105. 66 

 13.97 

 33.64 

 58.05 

 18.36 



218 



Acres in bearing apple orchard 



118.65 



108.20 



14.00 



20.44 





73.76 



Tillable acres per horse 



19.38 



The relative importance of the apple is shown by the fact that 18 

 per cent of the tillable area of the farms studied is in bearing apple 

 orchards. There are many farms which are almost entirely given to 

 the production of tree fruits, such as apple, peach, pear and cherry. 

 Few of these, however, exceed 500 acres. 



NEED OF MANURE. 



The western New York farmer feels the need of the application of 

 more manure to his orchards and crop lands and tries to find a way 

 to obtain it most economically. A few men, where the farms are 

 large enough and pasture sufficient, are keeping sheep ; some pasture 

 their orchards with sheep a part of the year. Many, to a limited ex- 

 tent, are in the hog business. Again, we find a few men buying cattle 

 in Chicago or Buffalo markets for winter feeding, and selling the 

 same in the spring or when prices seem the best. The need of ma- 

 nure for the orchard is perhaps the principal reason for winter feed- 

 ing of cattle or sheep in this area. If a profit is made over labor, in- 

 terest on investment, etc., the farmer feels that the enterprise has 

 more than justified itself. 



CROP ROTATION. 



There are several practical rotations which are used in this area, 

 depending, of course, on the crops grown. One of the most common 

 is (1) oats, (2) wheat, (3) clover and timothy hay from one to four 



