BULLETIN OF. TELE 
bo)) USDERARIMENT OFAQNCULTURL * 
No. 41 
Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry, Wm. A. Taylor, Chief. 
January 14, 1914, 
A FARM-MANAGEMENT SURVEY OF THREE REP- 
RESENTATIVE AREAS IN INDIANA, 
ILLINOIS, AND IOWA.' 
By E. H. THomson, Agriculturist, and H. M. Dixon, Scientific Assistant, Office 
of Farm Management. 
INTRODUCTION. ! 
Farm management treats of the business of farming. A farm- 
management survey has for its purpose a study of the profits of the 
individual farmer to determine the factors that control his income. 
Agriculture to be progressive must be profitable. As farming is a 
business involving both capital and labor, the farmer should receive 
a fair income on his investment as well as wages for his labor. Many 
farmers receive no wages for their work, due largely to poor farm 
organization or from following types of agriculture unsuited to their 
particular region. 
Successful farming is an individual, economic problem. The farm 
is a combination of enterprises, and their individual organization will 
determine in a .. Ye measure its profitableness. 
The corn-belt States excel almost all other regions in wealth of 
farm products. On rich soil with ample rainfall a system of agri- 
culture is found that is unequaled as an example of the expansive 
type of farming. This type is developed on the basis of the farm 
work horse as the means of motive power. To attain its highest 
efficiency, this type calls for expansion in farming area. Such a type 
is in direct contrast to the agriculture of the countries of southern 
Europe or of Belgium, where man and not the horse furnishes the 
labor. The American type is based on the product per man, the 
European on the product per acre of land. 
In the summer of 1911 the Office of Farm Management of the 
Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agriculture, 
made a farm-management survey of certain districts in Indiana, [li- 
nois,and Iowa. The results of this survey, which are outlined in this 
Acknowledgment is due to Messrs. H. F. Williams, E. L. Currier, E. M. McGrew, 
O. S. Rayner, and C. Wensel, who assisted in collecting the data presented in this bul- 
letin. Thanks are also extended to the many farmers in the regions studied through 
whose courtesy this work was made possible. 
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