White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-05-21
Production
Determines
Farm Profits
Tests Show Yield Most
Important Factor in
Ultimate Returns

Farms having apples, and in many
cases strawberries, asparagus, and
early potatoe to market in 1880, had
a distinct advantage over farms less
diversified, according to an analysis
made of % typical Benton county
farm records by R. M. Turner, extern
sion economist, Washington State col
lege, and E. c. Durdle, county agent.
Dairy and poultry products were low
in 1880, but fit we'll into the average
setup over period of years. A fruit
grower with soft fruits in addition to
three or four varieties of apples had
a good chance Of one or two fruits
having a crop of bringing a good
price.
No one farming type is best for
any region, but there are certain def
mite factors which have an import
ant bearing on profits and loss. 1t is
evident that many farms are too
small in the amount of business done,
having either too few acres, too few
cows, or too few intensified crops,
such as truck crops. Among those an
allied, the large volume farms aver
aged A. cows, 16 acres in crops, 10
acres in tree fruits, total receipts
.$7875, and labor income of $1965
per farm, while the small volume
farms averaged 6.3 cows, 1877 acres
in crops, 1.5 acres in tree fruits, total
receipts of $2478, and labor income
only of $149, or approximately one
thirteenth that of the large volume
farms. Labor income is what is left
after expenses, depreciation and in
terest are deducted from the receipts.
Yield is probably the most import
ant single factor affecting costs and
ultimately labor income. The records
of fruit farms revealed that where
200 boxes of apples were harvested
it cost an average of $2.01 a packed
box delivered at the warehouse, and
only "a cents box where 1000 boxes
were harvested. In other words the
cost per box for growing, packing and
hauling the snsallsyield to the ware
house was more than twice that of
the larger yield. The SAME principle
applies to all other crops as we'll as
to the production per COW or per hen.
The analysis of five high-inco!me
farms showed that high production
per unit was the important factor IN
maintaining the high-labor income.
The % Benton county farms anal
lied in this study averaged 1876 acres
in crops; 1876 acres in potatoes; Z
acre in asparagus, IL fahms; l.29
acres in grains, II farms; 2 acre in
strawberries, 5 farms; 7.9 acres in
hay; "A acres in tree fruits; 81 acres
cows; 2.3 hogs, and 81 chickens. The
total receipts averaged $4424, OF
which 1923 per cent was tree fruits;
1.3 Strawberries; 8 asparagus; 4.8 po-
tatoes; 11.5 dairy; 8.6 other livestock;
IT eggs and poultry; 5 other
sources; 81 other crops, and ~ per
cent, increase in livestocvk. The av-
erage labor income was SCALA. Com
pare this average setup with your
own farm
MANY farms sustained severe loss
es in 1880, with only few breaking
even. Every thinking farmer is study
ing his own business more closely In
order to make every possible adjust
ment. Costs can and should be re-
duced still further, so that greater
savings may be realized. While the
cost. Of things the farmer buys IS
coming down, it always lags behind
the fall in price of raw materials in
Guiding farm products. Adjustment in
the exchange value is slow process.
Fak.n,ers must consider more than
ever the need for eliminating low pro-
ducing cows, hens and even turning
low producing cultivated acres into
nacture. The closest scrutiny of any
leaks in the farm business must be
made if a reasonable labor income is
to be made during the present year.