Evening journal., 1915-05-22

NEWARK, May 22.-County Agri-
cultural Agent Levi H. Cooch, who
with the assistants of experts from
the United States Department of Az
riculture and the other two County
Agents in this State. several weeks
ago made a survey of sixty-five farms
in lower New Castle county to as
certain facts relative TO farm man
agement has just submitted his re-
port to the government and the Della
ware College Experiment Station.
This report contains many details
which will be of great value to the
farmers of the State in the future
and shows that both the tenants and
landlords are making good profits
The report follows:
Since the passage of the Smith
Lever Bill, County Agents have been
at work in all parts of the United
States helping the farmers in every
way possible. and at the same time
conscientiously endeavoring TO find
still other ways in which to assist
farmers in their respective counties.
Early in February. 1915. upon re-
quest of Director Hayward, the Office
of Farmers Cooperative Demonstra-
tions. u. s. Dept of Agriculture. sent
Messrs. Keyes and Brown to Della
ware to show the county agents of
this State how to take farm records.
The area around Middletown, in New
Castle county was selected for the
initial work. AS agent for New Cas-
tie county, the writer was greatly
assisted by Messrs. Pence and Pelton,
agents for Kent and Sussex counties
respectively.
After the surveys are made and
the farm and tenant labor incomes
figured out. the records are returned
to the farmers. It seems to the
writer that up to this time nothing
has been suggested whereby the
county agent can utilize his time and
efforts to better advantage In the
first place. the agent knows something
about the farmers farm. which he
himself does not know. 1t gives the
agent a reason to visit and revisit the
farm, and it also gives him needed
information concerning the agricul
tural conditions of his country; in
formation the agent must have if he
Is sincere in his efforts to help those
who look to him for assistance.
I'm the 'MiddletOwn area. whicf
extends from Mt. Pleasant and Nc
Donough on the north, Delaware
river on the east Maryland on tn,
west and Townsend and Taylor
Bridge on the south. records of sixty
five farms we're taken. No attemp
was made at selecting or reiectin;
any farm. but all we're taken as the.
came. unless the farmer was away o.
objected to telling his business.
"Those who have made a study o
farm records, know that size of bust
ness. quality Of business, diversity o
business and efficiency of man an,
horse labor are the chief factors
which influence the labor income o
any farm.
"By labor income is meant what tn
farmer actually receives for his owl
labor and ability to manage his farm
over and above per cent. on his in
vestment. In addition to this he ais
has a house. rent free, and gets prac
tically all of his living. includin
vegetables, milk cream, butter. egg
and poultry at cost BY substraci
ing the total expenses of the farr
from the total receipts, and deductin
from the remainder per cent q
the capital invested in land, stoc
and machinery we are able to de
termine the farm labor income.
case the farm be rented. the receipt
and expenses are divided betwee
landlord and tenant and the result
obtained In the same way.
Stock Below Average.
oTp fbo fNfidd1otoUr Aroai of Ne,
Castle county. the size of business
that is, the capital invested. acres i
crops, and amount of stock aside fror
work horses, is a very important fac
tor, for almost without exception, IN
larger the farm. the greater the labo
income. For example, the thirty-On
farms, with a crop acreage above III
average Of the sixty-fve farms SUI
veyed, produced an average labor in
come Of S2,193. while the shirty-fou
farms that fell below the average cho
acreage. yielded an average labor in
come Of s1014. II is also quite M
ticeable that the farms that hay
more than average capital investei
usually have greater labor income
than those with less than ave-ag
capital. As in every other sectioi
however. the 'Middletown Area cor
tains a few farms with a smaller bus
ness which produce a larger labor n
come, but as a general thing. III
survey in southern New Castle cOuI
ty seems to indicate that the farmC
on a small farm is handicapped. III
less he is able TO rent or buy MOI
land near by and thus enlarge h
business. for with the same inves
ment of stock and machinery he ca
generally handle from twenty-five
fifty acres more than he is handlin
II this is impossible, then the sma
farmer has as an alternative. u
keeping of better stock and more
it, more intensive farming, or doir
other work than his farming.
Another important factor that inf
ences the labor income is the quality
the crops and stock Last year. no
ever, New Castle county produced exc
lent wheat and corn crops, in spite of {
dry season. On the other hand, pota
crops and hap crops, aside from alial