IRRIGATED FARMING IN TWIN FALLS COUNTY, IDAHO 49 
In 1919 the return to capital was 10.9 per cent; in 1920 it was but 
3.7 percent. In 1919 records were obtained from two very successful 
farms having high-producing cows. In 1920 it was necessary to 
replace both of these farms with others which were much less efficient.. 
This and the general slump in the prices of farm products caused the 
abrupt drop in the percentage return to capital in 1920. During the 
last two years of the survey the return to capital increased gradually, 
reaching 4.2 per cent in 1921 and 4.6 in 1922, while for the four-year: 
period the average was 5.8 per cent. 
VARIATION IN HERD AVERAGE VALUE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS PER COW 
The herd average value of the dairy products per cow presented in 
Table 30 includes the estimated value of the products used on the 
farm as well aswhatwassold. There was considerable variation in the: 
herd average per cow. ‘This variation was mainly due to three factors: 
(1) The price received for the product of the different herds varied 
considerably. Some of the milk was sold at retail prices, some at, 
wholesale fluid-milk prices, and some on a butterfat basis. 
(2) The methods used in feeding the different herds varied widely.. 
During the pasture season some herds were on excellent pasture for 
five to six months and in addition were fed all the alfalfa hay they 
would eat and in some instances grain; other herds were fed alfalfa. 
hay and run on very closely cropped pasture; other herds were kept. 
in dry lots all summer and fed alfalfa hay, some herds receiving grain 
in addition to the hay, whereas others received none; some herds. 
received corn silage or sugar-beet pulp while others did not. 
- (3) The average producing ability per cow of some herds was high 
whereas that of other herds was low, so low, in fact, that some of the 
farmers would have been better off financially had they kept only 
enough cows to supply the family with dairy products. : 
TABLE 30.—Variation in herd average value. of dairy products per cow on dairy’ 
farms, 1919-1922 
- 1919 1920 1921 1922 
Value of dairy pro- Herd Herd Herd 4 Herd : 
ducts per cow Number Number Number Number wf 
of farms | 2V°F88° | of farms | 2V°T88° | of farms | 2VET88° | of farms | 2VeTA8E 
per cow per cow per cow per cow 
Dollars Dollars Dollars § Dollars 
WER COTE LOG auneem aaa ee aja ine SS IE es ee 2 64 1 68 
HLOOSLG: pl4a9se a. 4 122 4 118 5 115 6 126 
STO M1 OO 2e meee nk Se ae De eo 2 164 5 170 2 176 
S200 aL 24 ee 1 202 | 2 204 3 225 1 205 
S250 200 wee 1 251 2 278 1 72315 | (eens ease (pes oc Ge a 
$300 and over_-__-__-_- 2 307 1 Ses seer a [eae i ts al ee 
ORCHARD AND GENERAL CROP FARMS 
The production of fruit on a commercial scale was an important 
enterprise on a limited number of farms each year of the study. The 
orchards consisted almost entirely of apples, although there were 
some other tree fruits. Most of the orchard farms produced the 
field crops common to the district studied in addition to conducting 
the orchard enterprise, but the apple was the chief source of income 
on a very few farms. The farms having commercial orchards are 
here classified as ‘‘Orchard and general crop farms,” the organization 
and business summary of which are presented in Tables 31 to 34, 
inclusive. This group is here referred to as “orchard farms.” 
