The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-03-26
FARMERS PROFIT
IS BOILED DOWN
UNITED STATES AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT BEEN MAKING
INVESTIGATIONS.
Shows Some Interesting Figures ON the
Net ncOme-Some Expert Advise
On Raising Hogs.

WASHINGTON, Mar. 26.-Popular
belief that the farm owner who lives
in the city and rents his farm is in the
class with the predacious plutocrats
was given a severe jolt in a bulletin
just issued by the department of agri-
culture which shows that the average
return from rented farms is but three
and one half per cent on the invest
ment. The size of the farm seems to
have no effect on the percentage
The bureau of farm management
which developed these facts studied
several hundred farms in Indiana, IL
linois and Iowa. States in the corn
belt were chosen because they excel
almost all other regions in wealth of
farm products. In this section modern
machinery, with more horses and few
er men, has made the farm less than
100 acres an inefficient unit" Fur
Their readjustments are constantly
taking place tending to lessen the
number of persons needed and to in
crease the net productions OF the farm.
The average labor income of the
farm owners operating their owi
farms was $40S for the year studied,
and $3.50 for the tenants. These fig
ures are obtainable by deducting |
per cent of the capital investment from
the net income. AS the tenant has
a smaller capital investment this labor
income is proportionately larger.
Lowest Labor Incomes.
Strangely enough the farmers MAX
ing the lowest labor incomes are on
big farms, but they fail through in
efficient management. Poor crops,
low prices for products sold, poor
stock, failure to work and unused cap
tal are given as the main causes con-
.ributing to their failure. The income
Of the farmer who owns his farm is
IN direct proportion to his capital and
he size of his farm. Men owning
small farms often materially increase
heir incomes by renting additional
and. The tenants income is in direct
proportion to the risk he assumes.
IN the cash rent basis his income is
greater in a good year and less in a |
,oor year than when he rents on the |
hare basis. Approximately one-third
# the total farm expense is for labor, S
nd for this reason the family size"
arm is the most desirable; that is, i
ne which provides just fair amount
f work for the farmer and his sons Z
nd permits the best use of men,
orses and machinery. e
Of the crop farm" where so per
ent or over of the total farm receipts Il
re derived from the sale of grain,
nd the livestock farm where the farm n
r feeds most of his crops, the La er
roved a much better investment, c.
Tough the fact that they were usually
Lrger than the crop farm" contribut- q
| something to this result. Eut the
rerage labor income of the crop farm b
who owned his own farm was but
IS per farm, whereas the average
vestock farmer under similar con- al
lions had labor income of $3.50. tr
Clover for Pigs.
"Pigs in clover" is more than fig b,
e of speech, says the bureau of ami he
al industry-it's a good investemnt :,
i'd the pig that shared red and wlite
ossoms with the humble bee is going 60
put more gasoline in the farmers =.
nabout than a less favored rooter :,
at never stuck it's snout outside OF
n. n
Too often the hog is considered
avenger and his ability to use waste
regarded as his chief value. Ac-
riding to the department of agri- =
lture experts, however we'll he de-