60 BULLETIN 1388, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
used for crops the following spring or until June 15 on rutabaga land. 
The work on the 3 acres of rutabagas came at a time when the atten- 
tion demanded by the other enterprises was not so compelling. All 
of the unmarketable rutabagas and a small portion of cull potatoes 
were utilized by the livestock enterprises. 
The surplus skim milk was utilized by chickens and turkeys; no 
hogs were Kept during this year. During the previous year fifteen 
300-pound hogs were marketed at 7 cents a pound. Even though it 
might have been more profitable to feed the skim milk, corn, and 
wheat to poultry instead of to hogs, it seems that the operator was 
hardly justified in not keeping a hog or to utilize wastes from the 
table and some of the cull potatoes and to provide meat for the 
family. 
Occasionally there is an opportunity to increase farm earnings by 
producing special products. When local markets and climatic and 
soil conditions justify the production of special crops or livestock 
products, a few farmers will often find it profitable to assist in sup- 
plying the demand for these products. This farmer furnishes a good 
illustration. In 1922 he grew 2 acres of table beets that yielded 10 
tons of marketable beets. These were sold to a cash buyer for $20 
per ton. During the previous year this farmer planted 3 acres of 
squash, mainly for hog and cattle feed. From the 30 tons of squash 
produced the operator obtained 200 pounds of seed, which was sold 
at 60 cents a pound. Another illustration is furnished by the oper- 
ator of Farm No. .">, who was able to increase the income from his 
Jersey cows by obtaining a special market and prices for high-grade 
milk, while most of the other farmers were required to sell butterfat. 
FARM NO. 5, A 40-ACRE LIVESTOCK AND CROP FARM ON POOR LAND 
Description of the farmer and his resources. — This farm is selected 
to illustrate how a farmer with considerable poor land was able to 
select and manage enterprises in such a way as to increase the pro- 
ductivity of his soil and at the same time maintain good farm earn- 
ings. About 15 acres of the land is subirrigated. The alkali is 
forced to the surface and crop production is made unprofitable. 
Livestock has been made a major enterprise on this farm in order to 
improve the productivity of the soil and increase the farm earnings. 
In 1922, 10 acres were devoted to alfalfa, 4 to rutabagas, 2 to corn, 
2 to wheat, and 8 to pasture. The productive livestock at the be- 
ginning of the year amounted to 6 purebred Jersey cows, 1 purebred 
bull, 6 young dairy cattle, 7 purebred sows, 2 boars, and 60 chickens. 
Two hoys, 12 and 13 years old, and occasionally the wife, help with 
the chores. The operator, who is about 45 years old, earned $620 
in 1920 working off the farm in the locality. A man was hired to 
do the spring work from March 1 to June, while the operator worked 
out. Tlie real estate carries no mortgage. 
Results from the present organization. — Livestock and livestock 
products contributed a little over three-fourths of the total cash 
receipts on this farm in 1922, and outside earnings contributed 
about 20 per cent. A very large part of the high livestock earnings 
was due to exceptionally good livestock prices and production. 
Taxes, feed, and livestock purchases, and hired labor make up the 
principal items of expense. All but $346 worth of the feed used by 
the livestock for the crop year 1922 was raised on the farm. 
