FARM MANAGEMENT IN CATAWBA COUNTY, N. C. 
17 
Table 12.— Distribution of expenses on 297 farms for 1912 and 304 farms for 1918, 
Catawba County, N. C. 
1912 
1918 
Item. 
30 crop 
30.1 
50.1 
Over 
30 crop 
30.1 
50.1 
Over 
acres 
to 50 
to 70 
70 
All 
acres 
to 50 
to 70 
70 
All 
, or 
crop 
crop 
crop 
farms. 
or 
crop 
crop 
crop 
farms. 
less. 
acres. 
acres. 
acres. 
less. 
acres. 
acres. 
acres. 
Totaljexpense per farm 
-?220 
$395 
$543 
SI, 130 
S506 
S313 
$538 
$869 
$1,873 
$741 
Expense for — 
Cropper labor 
Hired labor and board 
7 
8 
29 
95 
27 
16 
48 
100 
530 
120 
13 
40 
81 
29S 
85 
8 
20 
76 
273 
64 
"Unpaid familv labor 
76 
129 
148 
207 
133 
83 
177 
256 
259 
181 
Repairs — 
Machinery 

9 
10 
20 
10 
7 
12 
20 
37 
16 
House 
6 
8 
11 
15 
10 
8 
11 
16 
18 
12 
Other buildings 
3 
6 
7 
17 
7 
o 
7 
10 
16 
8 
Fences 
2 

6 
10 
5 
1 
2 
3. 
5 
3 
Feed bought— 
Hav, etc 
3 
1 
9 
5 
3 
3 
3 
9 
6 
5 
Grain, etc 
13 
30 
30 
79 
34 
29 
26 
55 
135 
48 
Fertilizer 
29 
47 
71 
130 
61 
44 
70 
99 
218 
91 
Ginning 
6 
10 
13 
29 
13 
9 
19 
24 
41 
21 
Other machine work 
1 
3 
3 
5 
3 
4 
5 
7 
18 
6 
Insurance 
1 
2 
3 
3 
2 
1 
9 
9 
3 
2 
Taxes 
11 
IS 
25 
49 
23 
17 
26 
34 
58 
30 
10 
21 
29 
46 
24 
26 
40 
61 
110 
52 
Total current expense... 
1S6 
337 
468 
1,008 
440 
261 
468 
772 
1,727 
659 
Depreciation: 
Machinery 
12 
24 
35 
59 
29 
18 
28 
37 
65 
33 
House 
14 
.19. 
-: 21 
26 
20 
20 
23 
27 
26 
24 
S 
13 
18 
37 
17 
11 
IS 
29 
44 
22 
Total.".., 
34 
56 
74 
122 
66 
49 
69 
93 
135- 
79 
In 1912 the total expense per farm averaged $506; in 1918, $741, 
an increase of 46 per cent. The largest single item of cash expense 
in 1912 was that of hired labor, amounting to $112 per farm. In 
1918 this item amounted to $184 per farm. The value of unpaid 
family labor was estimated by the farmer in 1912 at $133 and in 1918 
at $181. The next largest item of expense was for fertilizer. In 
1912 this bill amounted to $61 per farm; in 1918, $91. The cost of 
repairs on machinery, buildings, and fences averaged $32 per farm in 
1912 and $39 per farm in 1918. Depreciation on machinery and 
buildings, though not a cash expense, nevertheless represents a 
charge that ultimately must be met, and this averaged $66 per farm 
in 1912 and $79 per farm in 1918. 
CROP ROTATIONS. 
The pioneer farmer of this area, and his successors for two or three 
generations, had no systematically planned crop rotation. Soil fer- 
tility problems were not recognized, and for other reasons rotation of 
crops was not desired. Even at present, crop rotation is not generally 
practiced on these farms. Practically all rotations yet suggested for 
the region have serious defects of adaptation to commercial agri- 
culture. 
