Newark post., 1915-04-14
Results Of Farm
ing In Delaware


with L. H. Cooch, county farm
agent, and Agents Pence and Pey-
ton of Kent and Sussex counties,
l espectively, visited Middletown,
last week and addressed an open |
meeting of Peach Blossom Grange
giving the result of the survey of
65 farms made for the government
agricultural bureau, in what is
termed the Middletown area. The
survey was made for the purpose
of figuring out the conditions OF
the section, from an agricultural
standpoint compared with others,
located similarly. A survey of
the land of 65 farms was made,
and a careful record Of the income
and expense on all was computed,
with the object of informing the
farmer if he is farming his land
to the best advantage.
Prof. Brown gave some very in
teresting figures and comparisons.
The 65 farms visited lay in a
district bounded by Mt. Pleasant
Macdonough, Townsend, Odessa,
and Middletown. Fifty of them
are rented by tenants, and on an
average show good incomes; only
five show a minus income, and
four of the five are farmed by
owners, showing, according to
P. of. Brown, that the tenant sys-
tenn of farming in vogue in this
section is a success. The records
figure out the net labor income
Of the farmer, by taking account
of theamount received from all
sources and subtracting from this
the expense, plus 5 per cent for
interest on investment; 65 farms
averaging PIT acres each, gave ar
average income of 81, ALP. The
average capital of tenants, $4,269
average capital of owner, $20,848
average acres per farm, 217; aver
age crop acres, 146; averag;
horses, 10; average cattle, II; av
erage poultry, 13O; average farm
: hands, SO; average wheat acre
age, 63; average bushels per acre
%; average price per bushel, 9
l cents; average corn acreage pc
1 farm, so; average yield per acre
e So; average price per bushel, 7
: cents.
Prof. Brown showed by figure
: that the larger farms were by ia
n the best producing farms pc
n acre, as on them he found tn
e stock more productive than on tn
smaller farms, rs per cent of tn
income of these farms comm
c from crops, and 25 per cent frol
9 stock.
= The cattle business was ne
II found up to the standard of som
:, areas, that he has visited, as tn
= average income per cow we
J. found to be $51; of the II be-
S, farms the average was SCI; on tt
z. one best farm of 345 acres, $40
t, He estimated the value of the lar
r. of the 65 farms at S75 per acr
IS and said that it was superior
any land he had seen in Delawar
- According to the figures of Pro
Brown, the landlords are gettir
on an average of IL per cent {
- their investment. Several Ian
!. lords, who were present, did n
agree with this. Some of Il
farmers paid as low as 2 per ce
h. and some as high as 23 per eel
r; These figures are based on t
~ products of this year, which ha
tn been somewhat above the avera
of year. He also showed that t
rs horses work less in this area tn
le- any other he had visited, due,
lr- said, to the fact that the hors
he are too small, and he advised tn
lr- the farmers breed larger horses
he Alfalfa was found to be groV
an on only ten farms, but where
ne was grown was very producti'
is, averaging 8 2-10 tons per acre.
IS; advised the farmers to so wit,
ng, lieving this to be the solution
in the feed problem.
)ut Prof. Brown paid tribute
on the farmers of this section, say
let the average labor income is
his above that of many sections
for has visited. He invited the fal
to ers to make appointments "
him at the Middletown Hotel ;
the time during the next few days.