FARM MANAGEMENT ON IRRIGATED FARMS 23 
suffered a rapid decline in price in 1921, high yields maintained rel- 
atively high profits and the already greatly overexpended potato 
acreage was continued another year. Relatively high prices and 
yields of rutabagas encouraged more farmers to plant this crop in 1922. 
The shift to livestock production on many of these farms in 1922 
is evident. During this year 49 dairy cows were added to- some of 
the 60 farms, resulting in a total increase of butterfat sales amount- 
ing to 10,956 pounds. Eight more farmers kept young dairy cattle, 
and the farmers keeping sows were increased by the same number. 
Hens and turkeys also showed increases. 
Much of this impetus given to livestock on the 60 farms in 1922 
was due to poor hay prices the previous year and the growing inter- 
est in livestock. Whether history will repeat itself and many farmers 
will again decide to abandon their livestock enterprises as soon as 
hay prices recover is difficult to foresee. It is believed, however, in 
view of the recent activity and general interest in livestock in the area, 
together with decreasing alfalfa hay yields on many farms, that live- 
stock will become established on a more permanent basis. Many of 
the farmers are beginning to feel that long-time profits from agri- 
culture in this area can best be obtained by a careful combination 
of crop and livestock enterprises. 
FINANCIAL SUMMARY OF FARMS 
CASH RECEIPTS 
Over half of the cash receipts on the farms visited came from al- 
falfa and potatoes, amounting to 54, 57, and 68 per cent of the total 
cash receipts on the small, medium, and large farms in 1922. The 
cash incomes from potatoes and alfalfa were reversed in 1922. (See 
Table 14.) This was due partly to the low potato prices resulting 
from overproduction and partly to the comparatively good price for 
alfalfa hay. 
Cash receipts for dairy products were fairly uniform for the two 
years. By knowing the production of dairy products in advance, 
it is possible to calculate the returns from the dairy enterprise more 
accurately than for other enterprises in this area, because price fluc- 
tuations seem to be less violent. 4 
Total receipts, on the average, were less on farms the second year, 
mainly because of the low potato prices and the larger acreage de- 
voted to potatoes. This decrease amounted to $123 for the small 
farms and $247 and $485, respectively, for the medium and large 
farms. 
CASH OUTLAY 
Taxes and hired labor were the two largest items of expense on 
the farms studied. When the purchasing power of farm products 
is low, special efforts must be made to adjust farm enterprises so 
that a minimum of expenses will be incurred for labor and other 
high-priced commodities. Enterprises requiring a considerable 
amount of hired labor must be studied with the view of probable 
* See Table 19 for price trends. 
