The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1911-03-24
Farm Operating Cost
Figured by Experts


the large farm in northwestern Mime
sofa, 92.4 cents.
The cost per acre of fall blowing, as
averaged from 4,773 acres at North
field, Rice county, is $1.256; from 5,947
acres at Marshall, Lyon county, $1.141;
from 7,186 acres at Halstad, Norman
county, $1.13, and from 1888 acres on
the large farm in northwestern Mime
sofa, 92.4 cents
The average farm price December 1,
1902-19O7, in Minnesota for barley is
40 cents per bushel; corn, 385; flax,
96.3; hay, s6.05 per ton; oats, 1872
cents per bushel; potatoes, Ais cents,
and wheat, 74.2 cents.
At these prices the amount of pro-
duct per acre necessary to cover the
cost of producing field crops is as fol-
lows: Barley, 2053 bushels; corn,
Pill bushels; flaxseed, 77S bushels;
hay, 0.92 ton; oats, 30.46 bushels; po-
tatoes, 63.51 bushels; wheat, 978
bushels.
Value of Land Factor.
When interest on the investment in
land is considered as an item of ex-
pense, the cost of producing wheat on
$40 land is $7.1S, and on land vailed
at 500 the cost increased to $1l.9S,
an increase of 66.9 per cent in cost
Potatoes can be produced on $50 land
for $2O.266, on $1OO land for $29.966,
an increase of 81 per cent in cost.
Fifteen bushels of wheat, at the aver
age farm price of &C cents, when
grown on the 500 land will return a
/ net profit of 1876 per cent and on
500 land will give net loss of 2
be obtained on the 500 land to yield
the same rate of profit as could be Sc
cured on the cheap land with Is bush
els. Potatoes yielding 100 bushels to
the acre, and valued at 80 cents per
bushel on the farm, when grown on
$50 land will return net profit of
24.5 per cent, and a net profit of SO
per cent on 500 land.
Wheat and other grain crops grown
on high-priced land can not compete
with grain grown on cheap land, for
such crops are not adapted to intens-
i've culture, as are the corn, potato
and onion crops, or as are forage crops
fed to productive mich cows near
good markets.
The average length of the working
day for men on the farms at North.
field, southeastern Minnesota, is 8.94
hours, with 3.64 hours for Sunday
work. At Marshall, in southwestern
Minnesota, $3.50 hours for the week
! days and 3.05 hours for Sunday, and
at Halstad, in northwestern Mime.
sofa, $40 hours for the week days and
2.76 hours for Sundays. The average
| length of the working day for horses
at Mortified, southeastern Minnesota
is 3.03 hours; at Marshall, southwest
ern Minnesota, 1923 hours; and at Hal
stad northwestern Minnesota, 3.14
hours.
Cost of Keeping Cow.
Mich COWS In Minnesota were main.
tanned at an average annual cost pei
head of $40.97, exclusive of the cost OF
shelter, which will range from 81 to So
The total cost was made up of the fol.
lowing items: Grain, $3.50; roughage,
$10.28; pasture, $4.92; labor, $17,03S;
interest on investment, $1.846. The
average annual value of the product
from mich COWS $3.50 in number) was
$50.95, leaving a net value of product
of $99S.
hn nf fnH VI
to the average cow concerning which
statistics were collected was 921
pounds; roughage, 1878 pounds. The
average cow receiving these amounts
of feed gave an annual milk yield of
1850 pounds, containing 186.49 pounds
of butter fat.
One dollar expended in cost of main
tenance of mich cows at Mortified
gave return of S1.34; at Marshall,
$1.15, and at Halstad, $1.14.
Individual herds show a much wider
difference between cost and value of
product. One of the best dairy herds
at Mortified gave return of S1.41
for every dollar expended, and one of
/ the poorest herds at Marshall gave a
return of SO cents to the dollar While
a better market at Mortified than on
the other routes has some influence in
determining the greater profit in dairy
/ ing in that region, more productive
types of cows and better management
are the chief factors.
The average labor cost of feeding
and managing three sows and 10 pigs
amounted to S30.37 per year.
The average annual labor cost of
feeding and managing flock of As
sheep amounted to $20.34
Yearlings and 2-year-old cattle on
pasture made an annual gTain of 271.e
pounds, and calves averaged 1927
pounds. The cost of production OF
pasture per acre on $40 land is about
$407.
The average cost of feeding a farm
work horse year was $5139. The
average quantity of grain fed per
horse was 1886 pounds, and the aver,