FARMERS EARNINGS IX SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA 3 
much above customary yields in this part of the country. The blue- 
grass pastures, largely located along the stream bottoms, are un- 
usually fertile with a carrying capacity that runs up to one cow per 
acre (fig. 3). 2 
Milk production has long been the most important source of in- 
come (fig. 4) because of the rather heavy soil and the location within 
easy shipping distance of Philadelphia; but wheat and hay are also 
Fig. 2.— Chester County topography varies from gently rolling to rough. Most of the farms have 
some land too rough to plow, which is used for permanent pasture or woodlots 
important items. Within recent years mushroom production has 
been introduced, either as a special business approaching factory 
production or as a supplementary enterprise fitted into regular farm 
operation. For this latter purpose the possibilities in mushroom 
production are of much interest to Chester County farmers, but the 
general efficiencies in dairy farm operation are more important to 
dairy farmers in other eastern regions, and are therefore discussed in 
greater detail here. 
2 A more detailed description of this area is given in reference (17). Hereafter italic figures in paren- 
theses refer to "Literature cited," shown at the end of this bulletin. 
