FARM MAiTAGEMENT 11^ SUMTER COUNTY, GA. 55 



ization and low production averaged in farm income but $7,224 and 

 in labor income $2,417. 



SOME FACTORS THAT MAKE FOR BETTER FARM ORGANIZATION. 



What are some of the more marked changes that have heen viade in 

 the organization of these farms over the five-year period from 1913 

 to 1918? 



1. About one-third reduction in cotton acreage, and about one-third 

 increase in the much smaller corn acreage, making the acreage of each 

 crop about equal in 1918. 



2. An increase in the acreage of the small grains, this increase being 

 almost entirely in wheat. This crop was produced on only an occa- 

 sional farm in 1913, but on about two-thirds of the farms in 1918. 

 On about 30 per cent of the farms in 1918 more wheat was grown 

 than was required for family use, thus increasing the farm receipts 

 by the value of the surplus. 



3. An increase in the acreage of peanuts, many of which were grown 

 for market in 1918, thus increasing the percentage of receipts from 

 peanuts from one-tenth of 1 per cent in 1913 to 4 per cent in 1918. 



4. The introduction of the velvet bean as a feed crop interplanted 

 with corn. 



5. Utilization of greater percentages of the crop land for second 

 and interplanted crops, practically all of which were leguminous 

 crops. 



6. The growing of more feed crops, thus reducing the expense for 

 purchased feeds. 



7. Increase in the production of live stock, more particularly of 

 hogs, thus reducing the expense for rations bought for wage hands 

 and increasing the receipts from the sale of hogs. 



8. Reduced application of fertilizer on cotton as well as other crops. 

 Were yields on small farms higher than on large farms? 



The data show no great difference in yield of lint cotton per acre 

 for small, medium, or large farms, being slightly in favor of the 

 small farms in 1913 and of the large farms in 1918. Somewhat better 

 corn yields were obtained on the larger farms each year. The wide 

 variation of yields upon individual farms within each size group is 

 a factor that has a vital bearing on farm earnings. In 1913 24 per cent 

 of the small-sized farms (farms with 100 tilled acres or under) had 

 yields of 225 pounds or less of lint cotton per acre, and 37 per cent of 

 these small-sized farms had yields of over 300 pounds. Of the group 

 of large-sized farms (farms of over 250 tilled acres) 37 per cent had 

 yields of 225 pounds or less of lint cotton per acre, and another 37 

 per cent of these large-sized farms had yields of over 300 pounds. 

 In 1918 58 per cent of the small-sized farms fell in the low-yield 



