Newark post., 1915-05-26
sources of income that were over

sources of income that were over
10 per cent of their total receipts.
In figuring up the efficiency Of
man and horse labor on these
farms, the report says that out of
the possible 80 working days in
the year, the average man work
ed 202 days in productive labor,
while the remaining SO days were
taken up with chores and unpro
ductive labor, such as trimming
hedges, moving headlands, fenc-
ing, taking the children to school,
visiting, etc. An average of the
best II farms shows that each
man worked 238 days out Of the
80, or sc days of productive la
Dor more than on the average of
the 65 farms surveyed. On the
majority of farms in the Middle
town Area" are horses are small
and plentiful. Because of in
sufficient weight three horses are
usually kept where two horses OF
a little heavier could do the @orE.
On the average of the 65 farms,
each horse works but 63 days of
ten hours, or two hours a day Tor
the year Fewer horses with
more weight would lower the cost
of horse labor very materially.
On the 65 farms surveyed, 5sD
are rented and have an average
labor income of S1,I6S. The Is
that are operated by their owners
showed an average income of
$500. This is not fair compari-
son, however, as these Is were
much smaller farms than the aver
age of those rented, hence they
were doing a much smaller busi-
ness. On the other hand, the class
of tenants in the "MiddIetown
Area" is far above the average,
as only one had a minus labor in
come, while four of the owners
who operate their farms we4rt be-
| nlnQ ldSC year.
To sum up the conditions as
they exist today, clover and tim
othy will produce a satisfactory
crop once in about six years. AL
falfa grows we'll where it has
been tried and therefore appears
to offer a solution of the hay prob
lem on the majority of farms in
lower New Castle county. A num-
Der of farmers top-dress their
grass land with nitrate of soda,
and under favorable conditions
are able to show a yield of from
one to two tons of good hay per
acre.
Ten farmers grow an average
of five and one-half acres of aspar-
agus, yielding $3.50 per acre. On
these farms the average labor in
, come is S1,656, or $4S8 more than
. the average labor income of the
; 65 farms surveyed.
+ Last year 20 farmers grew an
average of 6.3 acres of tomatoes
which returned gross receipts OF
S44 per acre. 1t is doubtful
i whether the crop was raised at {
: profit. On these farms the labor
n income averaged $1,l19 or $40 be
low the average for the 65.
On 43 farms there was grow
> an average of 16 acres of swee
$ corn, which returned gross re
S ceipts of about S29 per acre. A
f it costs about $50 per acre to gro'
:. this crop, the profits cannot b
. high.
s. With an average labor incom
Is of SLAP and landlords maxim
n an average of 8 per cent on thei
o. land investment, the records sho
- the "Middletown Area" of Ne
- Castle county to be one of tn
u best agricultural sections of til
n country. Both landlords and tel
es ants are being we'll repaid #
their labor and capital invested.
In taking the records back
NC the farmers, it is quite remar
w able to find so many differel
ideas as to why this demonstr
tn ton was made. Some evident
&C took the matter as a joke, othe
:. were of the opinion that in son
q" way it would increase their tax
ry or those of their landlords, whi
r. a few thought a plan was on TO
ur to ascertain the value of the lal