FARMING IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE DISTRICT. 7 



The amount of double cropping determines largely the type of 

 farm as between truck and staple crop farms. The average returns 

 of 26 truck farms which get 40 per cent or more of their receipts 

 from the sale of truck is 8.7 per cent on the investment. The average 

 net returns of 17 staple crop farms is 3.9 per cent on the investment. 

 The average farm income of 16 stock farms is $1,281; these farms 

 make net returns of 5 per cent on the investment. 



DEPENDABILITY OF ENTERPRISES. 



In a region of such mild climate there is naturally a wide range 

 of enterprises that may be operated on each farm. That considerable 

 diversification of enterprises leads to greater profits is apparent from 

 the foregoing pages. There is much more risk involved in some of 

 the truck enterprises than in some of the staple crops or in stock pro- 

 duction, but on the other hand the profits from some of the risky 

 enterprises are often great. Therefore some of these crops seem 

 justified, not as a source of certain returns, but as a possible source 

 of comparatively large profits. The following information gives 

 some insight into the possibilities of some of the enterprises that have 

 been advocated for the region. 



TRUCK CROPS. 



Information was secured from 50 farmers concerning the success 

 and failure of 7 of the leading truck crops raised. 



Of 165 separate crops of cabbage produced on 50 farms, 69 made 

 returns larger than the cost of production, while 96 crops brought 

 little or no returns. The average yield of cabbage is 8 tons per ncre. 

 (See fie. 4.) 



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Fig. 4. — Cabbage is one of the leading truck crops produced. 



stand, half grown. 



This is nearly a perfect 



