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Show UTAH LAKE FARMERS URfiB 10 GROW FRUIT AS SIDE l!I Washington, D. C Jan. 30. Farm management specialists of the department depart-ment who have investigated conditions condi-tions prevailing on. the Irrigated lands of the Provo area, Utah 'Lake valley, recommend general farming, with orcharding or-charding as a side line, as the system most likely to prove successful on these lands. They urge the smalt fruit farmer to get more land and to farm more extensively, or at least to practice prac-tice greater diversification on his present acreage. Sugar beets and beans are suggested as crops that may serve to give stability to the business of the small fruit fawn. These recommendations are based on a farm management survey of 106 representative farma of the Provo district. dis-trict. This survey, made in 1914, was undertaken to determine, approximately, approxi-mately, the profits that farmers receive re-ceive or may reasonably expect to re- celve In the irrigated sections of the western intermountain region. The report, in which the specialists discuss the results in much detail and make many suggestions as to how farming profits may be increased, is now published pub-lished as Bulletin 5&2 of the Department Depart-ment of Agriculture. It should be of interest to western irrigation farmers, particularly those in the Utah Lake valley. Summarizing the facts brought out by the survey and the conclusions drawn from them, the specialists say: (1) The size of the farm business, the type of farming followed, and the diversity of income, each has n important im-portant bearing on profits. As regards size, the labor income from 26 small fruit farms and general farms averaged aver-aged $350; for 29 large fruit and general gen-eral farms, S598; and for 20 livestock; farms, H.394. 'As regards type of farming, the labor income of 16 small fruit farms averaged $302; of 18 small general farms, $383; of 17 large fruit farms, $11; and of 24 large general farms, $646. Eighteen dairy farmers made an average labor Income of $1,-427, $1,-427, and three small poultry farms averaged $483. (2) The greatest need of the small farmers in this district is more land to work. Falling this, outside labor Is a necessity if a good living is to be secured. se-cured. (3) lAlthough in many cases a greater diversification is needed, on the small general farms this not nearly near-ly as important as an Increase in size of farm. , (4) The small orchardlst should increase in-crease the area of his farm If possible and should also diversify. When he diversifies the fruit grower should do so with a crop or corps the market for which is more certain than for fruit. Under , existing conditions one of the best methods for doing the latter is by the growing of sugar beets. Beans would also appear to merit much attention at-tention in this area. (5) In general, so far as practicable, practica-ble, the farmer taking more land should do so by rent or lease, rather than purchase subject to a mortgage, as he can usually secure the use of the land for little more than half what must be paid on a mortgage. The money saved can be used for subsequent subse-quent purchase. This, of course, does not apply to the man with cash In hand for immediate purchase. (6) Some operators live In town and travel many miles a day to and trpm the farms.- From a farm-management viewpoint this is an ineffic-! lent system. (7) With land values and labor cost so high, and the marketing situation situa-tion so complicated, farmers In this area should make every effort to keep j at the maximum that part of the fam- j ily living which is secured directly from the farm. The garden should be one of the regular enterprises' and should be given adequate care. (8) A further increase' in the number num-ber of Very small farms In this region would seem to be unwise. The operators opera-tors of such units have not - land enough to keep them busy at prom-able prom-able work. About 30 acres seems to be the smallest size for efficient management man-agement without much reliance on live stock. Forty or fifty, preferably about 50 acres, seems to be the smallest small-est unit tor efficient management where live-stock enterprises are given a prominent place by the typical fanner. fann-er. This is especially true of. dairying. (9) When feasible, livestock enter prises may well be made a part of the farm business. The kind and extent will depend on' conditions. Men at present engaged in dairying should replace-poor cows with better ones. Pork production merits more attention than it now receives. ((10) In general, owing to market conditions, the proper place ror orcn-ard orcn-ard and truck products ia this region is on general farms where they are nsed aa fillers in the business as a whole. Certainly fruit should be produced pro-duced only on farms where the orchard orch-ard enterprises are supplemented in a substantial way by more extensive activities. ac-tivities. The general farms which grow truck and fruit as secondary enterprises en-terprises approximate the ideal cropping crop-ping combination for this region. |