Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-10-14
Proper System
Cuts Down Cost
Good Cropping Plan Practically
impossible On Small, Num-
erous Fields

erous Fields
By R. H. Rogers, Dept. Of Agricul-
turL Economics, North Carolina
State College.
The North Carolina agricultural
experiment station has developed
a system for recognizing farms
that has given satisfactory results.
Analysis of a number of farms in
the coastal plain and piedmont
areas indicates that fields usually
average about three acres in size
and that no systematic crop rota-
ton is followed. A good cropping
system is practically impossible on
such small, numerous fields, and as
a result, production costs are high.
Cover crops to reduce erosion
and soil building legume crops are
generally absent from the farming
program and most of the plant
food must therefore be purchased
each year. Labor is often over
worked during a few months and
practically idle for long periods on
poorly organized farms. Present
low incomes have caused many of
the better farmers to consider a
sound plan that will improve their
farm business.
Necessary Steps
Experience in recognizing farms
has shown that the following steps
are necessary:
First, an inventory of all the
farm property must be made in or
der to determine the present in
vestment which should return a
fair rate of interest if the reorgan-
ization is satisfactory.
Second, a detailed map of the
farm must be made in order to pic
ture the farm before any chan.
are made and to serve as a basis in
rearranging fields. A map is also
useful in outlining the new crop
ping system from year to year.
Third, n or more definite CROP
ping plans should be temporarily
chosen in order to try out the pos
Utilities Of the proposed plans. The
location of the farm, soil types,
keial markets, likes and dislikes
, farmer, the available capital,
ky<s.A-o of the items to be
considered in selecting the trial
crop rotation.
Fourth, the number and loca-
ton Of fields to accommodate the
suggested cropping system must be
designated. The station has found
that fields are usually rripIed in size
and reduced In number by Is per
cent, as compared TO the original
farm plans.
Study livestock Needs
Fifth, the kind and amount Of
livestock that can best be handled
with available labor and home
grown feeds should be determined.
To do this, local yields, feed requir-
ements, etc., should be used as a
guide.
Sixth, a budget of productions
and farm returns based on anti
cipated prices should be prepared
as a test of the soundness of the
plan.
Seventh, in case the first trial
is unsatisfactory, start with
a different plan in step three and j
work out a new budget. =.
Eighth, determine what part of 1
the new plan is to be completed at {
once, what part is to be done dur
ing the year, and what part can be
left until next year. Usually a two
Or three year period to complete a
reorganization of a farm is justi-
fled.
Ninth, start a simple farm re-
cord in order to check up on the ,
plan during the year. Several min ,
or changes will no doubt be sug-
gested by the records that will add
to the reorganization plan.
Tenth, by using outlook infor-
nation, annual or seasonal changes ,
should be made in the general farm
plan in order to take advantage Of
market conditions. f,
By following this general plan,
it has been possible to increase
earnings from 10 to 20 per :,
cent over those obtained before re-
organization. !