FARMING IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE DISTRICT. 



17 



STAPLE CROP FARM. 



Near the center of the irrigated district is a staple crop farm which 

 produces some truck and ;i few hogs as side lines. This farm is per- 

 haps better managed than the average, but an analysis of the business 

 shows where certain improvements in organization can be made. 



The farm comprises 100 acres, of which 95 acres is crop land, on 

 which were produced during the year 113 acres of crops. The real 

 estate investment amounts to $20,000, of which the house represents 

 $500 ; barn, $100 ; and other buildings, $100. At the beginning of the 

 year of this study the farm was stocked as follows : Six head of work 

 stock, worth $680; 1 cow, $75; 6 brood sows and 36 other hogs, $390; 

 and poultry, $38. The machinery and tools considered necessary for 

 the cultivation of this irrigated farm were valued at $258. The 

 cash on hand required to run the business amounted to $500. Feed 

 on hand at the beginning of the year was worth $30. The total in- 

 vestment of the farm was therefore $21,971. 



A considerable variety of crops was produced, the acreage, yield, 

 and sales of each being as follows : 



Staple crop farm: Acreage, yields, and sales of crops. 



Crop. 



Acres. 



Unit of yield. 



Total 



yield 



harvested. 



Sales. 





80.0 

 4.5 



'1.5 



1.0 



1.0 



.5 



5.0 



10.0 

 7.0 

 2.5 





4, 550 

 24 



(a) 



(») 



30 



2 



5 



48 



850 



•SI 407 





Ton 



















Ton 



do 



do 









Alfalfa . . 







do... 



725 





Hamper 



425 













614 





















Total 



113.0 



3 426 











a Plowed under. 



The principal items of expense for the year's business were : Hired 

 labor, $800; feed bought, $100; seed, $70; crates, hampers, etc., $106; 

 and irrigation w T ater, $320. The total expenses for the year, includ- 

 ing depreciation, were $1,573. 



When expenses are deducted from receipts the farm income is seen 

 to be $1,853. The operator valued his own labor at $720. "When this 

 is deducted from the farm income there is left a net farm income of 

 $1,133. This represents a return of 5 per cent on the farm investment 

 of approximately $22,000. 



This farm produced second crops on 19 per cent of its crop land. 

 Each work animal covered the equivalent of 19 acres of crops. 

 Slightly more than 11 per cent of the receipts were from the sale of 



