Show FARMER determines efficiency OF FARM 9 J ay improved farm are great time and labor savers the farmer himself in tho last analysis determines the efficiency of every successful farming enterprise according to the governments farm management investigations these investigations were carried on to determine just what were tho the main factors making for success in agriculture the farmer who comprehends and applies the principles of good farm organization selection of good seed tillage and teed feed who Is quick to understand the readjustment and improvement of existing systems in case of need is the farmer who gets the maximum result with the minimum expenditure pend iture of money and effort although the farmer may not understand the meaning of applied economics he will many times through experience peri per lenco ence and training know how to use tho the science much hotter than one versed in the general theories theorlis es such a farmer when he hears of some improvement in methods or redistribution of activities will apply the gen eral ties to hla his own calie caso as soon boon as they are brought to his attention while he may well look with distaste on the introduction of wholly new systems he will comprehend the possibilities bili ties of readjustment of existing systems the united states department of ag ri cultures investigator has listed other fatt factors rs of efficiency in farming as to fol I 1 lows iowa the magnitude of the business whether measured by area of land farmed amount of working capital employed or the number of days daya of productive labor provided organization which determines the degree of diversity of enterprises on the farm which may be made to provide full occupation to the available labor and equipment while avoiding the necessity of hiring largo amounts of extra labor system of management it Is shown that neighboring farmers with similar types of farming devote very different amounts of time to the various classes of enterprises on their farms because of the lack ot of standard systems of management of these enterprises and it Is not always the man who devotes the most time to an enterprise who makes the largest profits from it lack of system means lost motion and U useless work adaptability of enterprises in order that the farm may be profitable the crops and live stock maintained upon it must be adapted not only to local condition of soil and climate but also to existing economic conditions quality of the business the income per animal unit la Is a very factor in profit yield per acre Is also important but less so BO than the income per animal unit moderate yields may be more profitable than very high yields on a farm which combines a largo large number of these factors of eM efficiency clency profits are greater than on those which are effic efficient tent in fewer things many other factors of efficiency exist but they are not here dealt with for lack of sufficient data adaptability of enterprises one of the most important factors tn in determining profit in farming Is the adaptability of enterprises to soil boll and climatic conditions and especially to existing economic conditions adaptability to soil eoll and climatic conditions is so obvious as to need only mention here but the facts regarding adaptability to economic conditions are not so go well understood the following table gives an estimate of the average labor income for one of the leading dairy counties in the state of wisconsin and one of the leading dairy counties in the state of massachusetts the calculations are based on census figures in so far as these are arc available the estimated cost of maintenance of buildings implements and machinery taxes and miscellaneous expenses are based on the results of farm man argement surveys and other investigations conducted by the office of farm mantA management gement unfortunately certain items necessary to determine accurately the labor income are missing in this table the labor income represents not tho the wages of the farmer but the wages of the whole family furthermore the labor income includes what the farm furnishes toward the family living except the milk and cream consumed on tho the farm where it is pro deuced the last census having made no estimate of the value of this item in addition a good many farm families especially in ili massachusetts earn considerable sid erable amounts by outside employment and on many farms this Is the principal n cipal source of income unfortunately tuna tely also the census gives no in or formation mation as to the amount of money spent in the purchase of live five stock so BO that the labor income must be reduced by the average amount spent annually in the purchase of 0 live stock to sum up the labor incomes together gether with the interest on the investment which make up the farm income require the following modification in order to represent the sum aura available annually for the family living the farm income should be increased by the amount of milk and cream consumed on the farm where it Is produced and by the amount earned by tho the farm family from other sources than the farm including of course interest on investments other than in the farm and it should be reduced by the amount paid for live stock bought the figures are therefore only ot of value as a comparison between different regions for the same defects inhere in the estimates of the two regions estimate 0 of the average labor incomes ex tor for farms farina in a leading dairy county in wisconsin and one in massachusetts chu selected county in massachi items ot of comparison wisconsin belts number of farms ta la 16 improved land per farm acres number of 0 cows per farm bot improved land per cow cres acres BM ia total farm investment 94 value of farm buildings 2279 value ot of implements and ana mac machinery chinery dairy products per cow 43 value 0 of products dairy products exclusive ot of home used milk and cream COS wool anil and mohair lr 1 poultry products domestic animals sold domestic animals slaughtered 43 20 value of crops not fed total i expenses labor 14 s 1 fertilizers 1 I 74 feed i 44 am maintenance alainie W of buildings as 45 per cent maintenance of implements etc 20 per cent 74 81 taxes 06 per cent 63 62 43 total designated expenses 4 1274 1214 miscellaneous expenses 64 4 total all expenses 1463 1465 farm income 1073 interest on investment 6 5 per cent 5 75 labor incomes income us 67 should be increased by the value of 0 h home om e used milk and jeam cream and recep receipts ts from rom outside sources should be decreased by tho the amount paid for live stock purchased |