42 BULLETIN 659, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
home consumption leads to a low standard of living on the part of 
farm labor. 
Tabulations concerning the amount of receipts derived from the 
sale of cotton brought out the following: Where sales of cotton 
amount to less than 80 per cent of the total receipts the income is 
below the average ; where cotton sales amount to from 81 to 90 per 
cent of the total receipts, the income is considerably above the aver- 
age: where the receipts from cotton sales are over 90 per cent of 
the total, the income is very slightly above the average. 
Corn and minor crops. — Corn occupied on the average for all farms 
14.1 per cent of the crop area. Tabulations were made to determine 
the most profitable acreage of this crop, and to ascertain whether the 
production of corn for sale added to the farm income. The general 
result appears to be that those farms producing slightly more corn 
than was needed for home consumption were most profitable. The 
greater profit is believed to be due not to the fact that corn was pro- 
duced for sale, but because a small surplus for sale insures an abun- 
dance for home use. 
Practically the same was true for such crops as oats, sorghum for 
hay. kafir. milo, etc. 
Ao-ain, attention is called to the fact that these deductions are the 
records of farming as practiced. It is a question whether better 
cultivation of corn and other crops would not yield better returns. 
It is the uniform habit in the cotton region for the farmer to give 
his best attention to his cotton, which represents his principal cash 
income. 
Alfalfa, — This crop was found on only eight farms in this study. 
These farms were for the most part located on low lands, and 
had somewhat better soil than the average. The value of this crop 
as a source of feed for the farm animals is unquestioned. While no 
positive statements can be made as to its desirability for the farms 
of this region generally, it is believed that every farmer in the 
region should endeavor to grow at least a small area of it. It is a 
legume and requires inoculation unless the alfalfa bacteria are 
already present in the soil. 
Another reason for experimenting with this crop is that, in case 
the present local system of farming fails, alfalfa is itself a very 
good money crop, and in connection with other forage crops may be 
made the basis of an excellent system of live-stock farming. 
Live stock. — Farm animals may be divided into two classes, namely, 
work stock and productive stock, the latter being those kept for 
their products, such as meat, milk, wool. eggs. etc. The work stock 
on these 115 farms averaged o.'25 head per farm. The acreage of 
crops per work animal has already been discussed in connection 
with size of farms. 
