FARM MANAGEMENT IN THE PROVO AREA. 
13 
bors. Much of the small grain is broadcasted by hand. The item 
under "Interest, taxes, etc.," is disproportionately high in the case 
of owners with additional land rented, because it includes cash rent. 
THE FARM FAMILY— MORTGAGES. 
In Table 10 are presented data on the age of the farmer, the size 
of the farm family, and the amount of the mortgage on the farm. 
Table 10. — Age of the farmer, amount of mortgage, and size of family on farms 
operated by their owners and on farms whose owners rent additional land. 
(Utah Lake Valley.) 
On 75 farms operated by owners. 
On 22 farms operated by owners renting 
additional land. 
Farm group. 
Number 
of farms. 
Age of 
operator. 
Amount 
mortgage. 
Number 
in family 
on farm. 
Number 
of farms. 
Age of 
operator. 
Amount 
mortgage. 
Number 
in family 
on farm. 
Small farms 
26 
28 
21 
Years. 
46.3 
50.1 
51.0 
S304 
800 
729 
5.1 
7.0 
5.8 
8 
14 
Years. 
40.6 
43.6 
S162 
721 
4.8 
General and fruit 
farms 
5.0 
Live-stock farms 
Total and average 
75 
49.0 
608 
6.0 
22 
42.5 
518 
4.9 
A very encouraging fact is the small size of the average mortgage 
on the farms reported in this survey. The amount of borrowed capital 
ranges (by groups) from 4.2 to 9 per cent of the total capital invested 
by the operators. The average for all 97 owners and owners with 
additional land rented is but 5.7 per cent of their total investment. 
This means that the average farmer of those visited in this particular 
survey has nearly the whole of his farm income for living expenses 
and savings. 
With increased size of farm by groups (see Table 10) the age of 
the farmer increases. This appears to be the rule wherever farm- 
management surveys have been made. The average age of the owners 
is 49 years, while the average age of the owners with additional land 
rented is 42.5. A considerable difference in these ages is but natural. 
The owners with additional land rented are in a period of transition 
from tenancy to ownership. The seven tenant farmers in Table 4 
average 33.7 years in age, as would be expected in a group represent- 
ing a still earlier period in the transition from tenant to owner. 
The size of the farm family averages large, just as in 1913. The 
tenant farmers average 4.4 persons per farm family as against 4.9 
for owners with additional land rented, and 6 for the owners. The 
differences are largely due to difference in age of the farmers in these 
groups. In this connection it should be noted that the " farm 
family " contains only those members of the operator's family living 
at home. Members living elsewhere are not included. 
