Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-07
IOWA GRAIN FARM
USES NEW METHOD
27,OOO-Acre Project Shows
Profit Without Live Stock
and AH.Hired Labor.
BY ]. S. RUSSELL.

CEDAR RAPIDS. June 8 (NA.N.A). |
BY Naturalization CT agriculture
,hs Collins Farms Co. finds 1t possible
to make a profit on grain production
even at present prices.
Wheat is being produced SO that IT
can be sold proftably at 30 cents
bushel, corn at 40 cents and oats AZ
IS cents. according to the cost records
Of the farming company.
a The showing of the Collins company
ia made possible because of the lower
ing of the production costs due TO IN
creased Yields through the use OF I'M
proved seed and the adoption OF q
program CT soil improvement, cultiva.
ton of every available acre, efntcent
use of labor, use OF tractors, large
scale machinery units ana reouctlon
of overhead expense.
This firm is the pioneer in the corn
belt in introducing industrialized ag-
riculture known also as chain or cor
poration farming. With approximately
$1,000 acres Of Northern and Eastern
Iowa land under cultivation, the COM
pany Is the largest Of its kind engaged
Ia this type Of production in the corn
belt.
No Live Stock on Farm.
The farms are handled entirely by
hired labor and are devoted exclusively
to grain production. The fact that no
live stock is raised or fed, even though
the operations are carried on in the
principal meat producing area IN the
United States. Is one OF the dlstinc-
tive features OF the Collins operations.
Yields vary from season to season.
20 that exact figures on the cost OF
production can only be estimated. but
by use of lining and sweet clover, COM
mercial fertilizer and improved seeo,
the Yields from various crops are being
Increased.
Based on the yields now being at
tanned and expenses at present ieVeis,
effect: Wheat, A. cents busnel; corn'
80 cents; oats. % cents:
These figures are based on yields OF
"A bushels to the acre for wheat, oO
bushels for corn and so bushelS lot
oats Further reduction IN prooucClon
costs NAV be expected to result as yields
As the market stands at present there
IN a comfortable margin OF prof1t be
tween production costs and selllng
prices of wheat and corn max and soy
beans, with oats showing little margin
over actual costs.
So Per Cent Interest.
The production costs include all ex"
penses as we'll as taxes and interest on
capital invested in machinery, land ana
y Improvements. Interest Is computed At
So per cent.
The officers of the Collins Farms
Co. have no thought that the type OF
farming they are doing will ever become
general in Iowa, or that it Is practicable
for widespread adoption. They have
no notion that they will increase their
operations to take in an appreciate
per cent of the total area OF the corn
belt.
They do contend, however, that they
are demonstrating that the adoption OF
good farming methods makes it pos
sible for their operations TO show q
profit. Records of the company tend TO
Substantiate the contention.
The removal of all fences enables the
cultivation of larger fields and the
use of larger units of machinery makes
it possible for each individual laborer
to attain greater efficiency than is the
case under the management systems in
use on the average family size farm in
the corn belt.
The combine the four-row corn
planter and corn cultivator and the
two-row mechanical corn picker nave
all tended to reduce production costs
and increase the efficiency of the
laborers.
Previous attempts in corporation
farming in the Middle West have been
confined for the most part to the
wheat-growing areas, and most OF the
land in the State is farmed in family
acres.
Use All Hired Labor.
The entire Collins Co. acreage Is
farmed by hired labor with a foreman
in charge of each unit. Most of the
farms have no one living on them and
the barns and other buildings have been
utilized for the most part for grain
storage.
Along with the almost complete
motorization of the farming on the
Collins farm has come the adoption of
large unit machinery Flowing, corn
planting, corn cultivating and harvest
ing of grain are dore with multiple
units. The combine or harvester |
thresher has been used for taking small
grain from the standing stalk, cutting
and threshing in the same operation, !
and making it ready for the bin.
A combine was used first last year to |
harvest corn. Four rows of corn are
planted and cultivated by one man on
tractor, and when necessary the tractors
are used both day and night.
Specialization is the keynote Of the
Collins operations One man is charged
with the management CT the entire en-
terpriSe, and he is assisted by two dl-
vision managers, who oversee operations
in their sections of the State. One man
trained in agricultural engineering has
charge of all equipment. while the
drainage OF the land, an important Item
in reclamation of heretofore unproauc- |
tive acreage. is in charge Of a specialist
along this line.
The program of soil improvement |
consists in the use of limestone to
sweeten soils that alfalfa and sweet |
clover legume crops, which are valuable
in furnishing soil fertility, may be |
grown readily. Phosphate and other
commercial fertilizers are applied to |
supply deficiencies existent in much Of
the Iowa soil.
$1,000 Acres Cultivated.
The operations of the Collins firm
have increased from year to year. In
1929 the total acreage farmed was
1928 acres: in 1880 this was increased
to 1902 and this year the total is ap- |!
proXimately $1,000.
Through program Of seed improve i
ment, soil building and improved seed |