UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
S^&'^'U 
i BULLETIN No. 853 
Office of the Secretary 
Contribution from the Office of Farm Management 
H. C. TAYLOR, Chief 
Washington, D. C. 
July 20, 1920 
THE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FARMS 
IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 
AN ANALYSIS OF THE BUSINESS OF 422 FARMS IN THE 
VICINITY OF GROVE CITY, PA. 
By Earl D. Strait, Scientific Assistant, and 
H. M. Dixon, Assistant Agriculturist. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Object of study 1 
Summary of results 2 
Area studied '. 4 
Classification of farms 6 
Production per farm 10 
Distribution of farm area 12 
Distribution of capital 13 
Distribution of receipts 14 
Distribution of crop area 15 
Page. 
Distribution of live stock 15 
Expenses 16 
Size of farm, organization, and profits 17 
Live stock 22 
Crops 25 
Maintenance of soil fertility 28 
Income from sources outside the farm 30 
Tenure 31 
OBJECT OF STUDY. 
The object of this study was to obtain, through a detailed analysis 
of 422 farms, information relative to farm organization, crop pro- 
duction, and profits for an area which was representative of numerous 
similar areas in western Pennsylvania, southwestern New York, 
eastern Ohio, and parts of West Virginia. The study has a particular 
significance in view of the changes which have been taking place in 
the agriculture of this region during the past few years. Until 
recently the farming practiced throughout this region was of the 
general crop and live-stock type. Many of the farms are of such size 
that their operators have found it more profitable to obtain some 
outside employment during a part of the year than to operate them 
continuously. 
In the spring of 1915 a creamery was organized at Grove City, 
the market center for these farmers, and an interest in this industry 
was immediately manifested by many of them. This resulted not 
only in a general increase in the number of dairy cows in this section 
161155°— 20 1 
