U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Some of the conclusions drawn concern only the farms studied, but 
the general truths developed are applicable to a large number of 
farms in the Yakima Valley, as well as to farms in other irrigated 
regions in the Pacific Northwest, where conditions are somewhat 
similar to those in the area studied. 
SUMMARY OF RESULTS 
Two important facts are brought out by an analysis of the agri- 
cultural history of this area: (1) The relative importance of the 
various lines of farm production in a given year reflects the profits 
on these enterprises the previous year; (2) those enterprises that 
have been relatively profitable over a period of years have estab- 
lished themselves on most of the farms in the area. 
Marketing possibilities for local farm products are among the prin- 
cipal factors in determining farm earnings in this area. Yaldma 
Valley potato growers have several marketing advantages over their 
competitors in Northwestern States, chief among which are a low 
production per capita in Washington resulting in a favorable local 
market, a shorter rail haul to Pacific-Coast cities, and the advantage 
of a rail-and-boat rate to California markets. 
Three typical sizes of farms — 20, 40, and 80 acres — predominate 
in this area. The average total capital represented by the small 
farms in L921 and 1922 was $7,510, medium-size farms $12,732, and 
huge farms $21,984. The average amount of labor used per farm 
by the small, medium, and large farms was 14, 17.3, and 24.4 months, 
respectively. 
Alfalfa hay and potatoes are the principal crops grown and are 
the principal sources of cash income. A little over half of the crop 
area on the farms visited is devoted to alfalfa and about one-fifth 
to potatoes. 
Importance of livestock and corn production on many farms in 
this area has been tied up rather closely with the price of alfalfa 
hay. A series of relatively low price years for alfalfa hay has usu- 
ally been followed by increased livestock and corn production. 
Incomes from farming, on the average, were low in this area in 
1921 and 1922. For the small, medium, and large farms the farm 
income amounted to $179, $600, and $809, respectively, in 1921. 
The low 1921 incomes were principally due to comparatively low 
alfalfa-hay prices, whereas poor prices for potatoes were mainly 
responsible for the low incomes in 1922. 
Satisfactory farm incomes depend largely upon fair and stable 
prices, good yields, good quality of products, full utilization of the 
resources of the farm, a knowledge of good crop and livestock prac- 
tices, and ability as a manager. 
To plan effectively the organization of farm enterprises in ad- 
vance, it is essential to know how the different enterprises vary in 
their demands upon the farmer's labor supply throughout the year. 
Such a knowledge results in reducing competition between enter- 
prises to a minimum, and assists in establishing desirable comple- 
mentary and supplementary relationships between different crop 
and livestock enterprises. 
