i^ ^m fork Hatt fflnllcge of JVgticttUure At C5ocncU MniaerBttB atljata, N. % S 561.W13°''™""""'"*">"-''''^^ ^lIlllulllimmiE'irS,^" ^'■"'•^ary or bette 3 1924 000 274 567 A METHOD OF MAZIHG AS ARBITEARY OR BETTER PAYIHG STANDARD FOR A REGIOH AUD A COMPARISOH OF SEVEJSf FARMS .71 TH THAT STANDARD. BY 'It on R. j7agner, 1915. =^ ^^1 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924000274567 /iCKKCVLEDGMEHTS The writer wishes to aoknovvledge his appreciation to Professor G. P. Scoville, Professor K. C. Livermore and others for helpful suggestions in making this study. Daring the first part of this year I obtained from seven farmers in the township of lewiston, liagara County, New York, a record of their farm business* The information secured consisted of an inventory of the farm, stock, tools and supplies at the beginning and end of the year, the acres of each crop and its yield, and an itemized list of all the farm receipts and farm expenses. Records were secured of each farm for the years 1913 and 1914. This was thought necessary in order to get a more average statement of the con- ditions there , for 1913 was a very good year for the fruit growers of that region. They had very good crops and got good prices, especially for apples which sold from #3.00 to #3.50 per barrel. The year 1914, on the other hand, was a poor year, the peach crop was a total failure and apples sold for around $1.25 per barrel. The purpose of this paper is, first, to work out a standard for that region, one with which any farmer in that region may compare his own farm and find out for himself the weak points in his business, and, secondly, to make a study and business analysis of these seven fruit farms, comparing them with the standard to bring out their strong and weak points and to see if the weak points can be remedied. m making comparisons of farms, the factors by which the efficiency of a farm business is measured are not Very in- telligible unless compared with some standard, and that stand- ard must necessarily be one worked out from a group of farms -2- vrhich are similar, in type and tinder the same climatic con- ditions as the ones with which you wish to compare It, The data upon which this standard will he hased is from records of 87 Niagara County farms, taken this past winter hy Mr. G. P. Scoville, "Farm Efficiency Demonstrator", of Hew York and Mr, Anderson, County Bureau Agent. The records are for the year 1913, While the circular written from a study of these farms is not yet ready for dlstrihution, Mr. Scoville has allowed me to use the tables and data from his work. The 87 farms are in the same county as the seven farms of which I have records and are under practically the same soil and cli- matic conditions. The results from each are therefore com- parable. Working put a Stand ard . One important method of measuring the size of a busi- ness is by the amoimt of money Invested in the business. In the following table the farms were sorted according to total capital. -3- Table I« 87 Uiagara Comity Records Sorted According to Total Capital — Showing Effect on labor Income. Acres of ]?tmiber orchard ITtunber farms with Sorted by capital Average capital Total acres bearing age labor income Of farms labor Incom over ^2000 Under #9000 $6757 41 7 #594 18 2 9001-13000 1086E 52 11 691 18 2 13001-19000 16174 73 20 1468 17 4 19001-S6000 E1704 90 24 1666 17 4 Over $26000 36613 142 42 1722 17 7 Average #18201 73 21 #1215 87 19 The farms that had less than #13000 invested ma«W labor incomes abotit one-half that of the average farmer. As the capital increases the average labor income increases until the final group, which had an average capital of #36000 made an average labor income of #1722 or $500 above the average. Seven farmers out of 17 made over #2000, As the capital in- creases the average siae of the farms increase so increase in capital also means larger sized farms. The men in the group with an average investment of #16000 and an average acreage of 73 acres, twenty of which were in bearing fruit, made #250 more than the average farmer. The best paying farms had as high as 175 to 180 total acres of which 125 to 130 were in crops and they made #4000 and #5000 labor income. As a better paying standard, then, I would place the -4- ft lower limits slightly above where the average men were and the upper limits as high as or a little higher than where the best men were. Thus it would seem best to have a total cap- ital of #16000 to $60000, 70 to SOO total acres, 50 to 150 of which were in crops. Size of business is perhaps better shown on these farms by the amount of Bearing orchard per farm. The following table will show this : Table II, Table Showing the Effect of Acres of Bearing Fruit on Labor Income. Acres bearing fruit Average acres labor Income Humber farms Farms making labor income over #2000 Below 5 acres 3.1 #312 11 1 5+ to 10 7.7 471 20 10+ to 20 15. 1172 22 5 20+ to SO 25. 5 1513 15 4 Over 30 47. 2335 19 9 With an average of 3.1 acres in Bearing fruit the far- mers made an average Income of $312, One man made over $2000 by selling $3300 worth of cabbage. As the average acreage in Bearing fruit per farm increases the average labor income in- creases. With €m average of 15 or less acres in Bearing fruit per farm the farmers did not make as much as the average, , and only one out of everj 9 made over $2000. The 15 farms averaging 25 acres in Bearing fruit per farm made $300 more than the average and one out of every four made over $2000 -5- labor income. The ones who averaged 47 acres Bearing fruit per farm, over twice as much as the average, made #2335, or nearly twice as much as the average farmer. It certainly paid to have a large acreage of fruit in 1913 in that region. ffith S5 acres of Bearing fruit the chances of making a good labor Income were good. The beat man had 1£3 acres in Bearing fruit and made over $5000. Between these limits, that is Bearing fruit 25 to 1Z6 acres, one ought to succeed. Another measure of sise is the amount of productive labor spent, both man and horse, during the year. It serves also as an indication of the labor efficiency on the farm. By using the acreage of bearing fruit set by the stand- ard, together with the area in other crops, multiplying these by the work units^ for these orops^* it works out that one A productive work unit is the time spent in harvesting 1 acre of hay, cut once, or an equivalent of that time. Under average circumstances, it is equivalent to about 1 ten hour day. 2 The productive man and horse work units used in this paper for working out the seven farms are ones worked out by the Farm Management Dept. of U. Y. State College of Agriculture for the Various enterprises. They are as follows : Man Horse Enterprise work units work imits 'Com for grain. Potatoes. Field beans. Small grains. Hay per cutting. Apples bearing when yield is over 25 bbl, Apples bearing when yield is less 25 bbl, Other bearing tree fruits. Orchards not bearing. Cows, ordinary dairy. Heifers, calves, bulls, colts. Sheep. Brood sows with pigs until weaned. Other pigs. Hens per 100. Man and team for every |4 receipts, Man for every $2 receipts. 5 B 10 10 5 5 2 3 1 1 15 5 3-10 I -5 15 5 1- 5 1 -3 15 2 2 .1 .5 .05 3 .5 .5 .1 15 2 1 2 ] 1 ] -6- otight to have from 600 to 1500 productive man work units and 250 to 700 productive horse work units. Another factor that is of great importsmce to success- ful farming in the fruit region is that of fruit yields or production. In the following table the 87 farms were sorted by fruit yields. Table III. The Effect of Peach, Apple and Pear Yields on Profits. Average Yields Represented by 100 Per Cent.^ 87 Hiagara County farms, 1913, Sorted by Per cent Peach, Apple, &Pear Yields average yield labor Income Numbi Fan Below 60^ 3655 #122 18 60 - 90 79 1164 21 91 - 110 93 1381 15 111 - 130 117 1689 16 Over 1305S 164 1829 17 Number farms Acres Number labor income bearing over $2000 orchard 3 4 6 6 11 25 30 19 17 In the above table the farmers who had yields less than 60 per cent averaged only $122. As the yields increased the average income per farm increased. The farms which had 79 per cent average yields made less than the average farmer, even though they have on an average 4 acres more of bearing orchard. When the per cent average yield increased to 93 Average yields. Apples --56 bbls. per acre. Peaches — 284-1/3 bushels' baskets per acre. Pears -- 6800# per acre. -7- per cent the 15 farms made 1381 or #200 more than the average farmer, but they also had an average of 9 more acres of bear- ing fruit per farm. As the per cent average yield goes up to 117 and 164, one man out of three made over |2000 In spite of the fact that they had two and three acres less of bearing fruit per farm than the average farm. It certainly does pay to get larger production. With a per cent average yield or fruit index of 120 one stands a good chance of making a good labor income if he has average size of business. The better farms had a fruit index of over 200 and they made much better profits. It certainly would pay to try and raise one's production up to 120. Of course, 200 would be much better. This would mean apples 70 to 150 barrels per acre, peaches 300 to 500 . one -third bushels per acre, pears 8000 to 15000 pounds per acre. In order to see the effect of orchard specialization the farms were sorted by percentage of total receipts from Orchard fruits. The results are given in Table IV. -8- Table 17. Sorted According to Percentage of Total Receipts from Orchard Fruits. Per cent of total receipts from Orch- ard fruits Total receipts Orchard receipts bear ag 90^ and over ' $6828 #6576 39 70 - 89 379S E950 20 40 - 69 2713 1623 11 less than 40^ 1635 400 6 Acres of Farms Orchard with labor I Htmber Income labor farms over $2000 Income 24 27 19 17 11 5 2 1 $2299 1106 776 358 This table would at first glance appear to prove con- clusively that for the best success one should specialize in fruit. The farmers who had over 90 per cent of total re- ceipts from orchard fruit made over twice as much on an aver- age as those who had from 70 to 89. But was it because they had 90 per cent of their receipts from fruit or because they had on an average 18 acres more of bearing fruit per farm than the average, that they made |2299, and therefore merely size of business ? The 19 farms which had only 40 to 69 per cent of total receipts from Orchard fruits averaged less than one -third the area in bearing fruit that the 90 per cent group had, yet they made over one -third as much. Even the group with less than 40 per cent of total receipts from Orchard fruits with an area one -sixth as large as the 90 per cent group made one -sixth as much. Instead of showing specialization of fruit does not the table show the size of business with the table upside down ? Whether or not it would pay a man to have a large area in fruit and also a -9- large area In other crops the table does not show. Whether or not diversity among the fruits themselves pays better than speoiatlization in one kind of fruit is a question that would need to be studied over several years to decide. There is not sufficient data to decide upon a standard for diversity. In 1913 the farmers derived their main income from two im- portant products, peaches and apples* Labor Income as means of comparing farms is quite important. Out of the 87 fanners, 19, or less than one in every 5 made labor incomes over $2000. One man made a labor income of over #6000. With a good sized, well organ- ized farm in this region one ought to make $2000, some may make more, the ones making $5000 will be the exception, however. We now have a standard that may be used with which the seven farms may be compared. This standard is Labor Income |2000-i- Size of Business Capital |16000-|60000 Total Acres 75-200 Crop Acres 50-175 Acres in Bearing fruit 25-125 Man work units 600-1500 Horse work units 350-700 Production Barrels of apples per acre 70-150 One -third bushels of peaches per acre 300-500 Pounds pears per acre 8000-15000 Crop Index 120-200 -10- It might be well before discussing each farm to describe some of the general conditions of the region. The farms are in the township of lewiston, Hiagara CoTinty, New York. Their position is shown by white dots on the map on the following page. The marketing facilities of the region are very good. There is a shipping station within two miles of the farthest farm, and a trolley line, with a switch, goes through two of the farms. Five of the seven farms are situated upon macadam or brick roads. The other two are with two miles of the good roads. Two cold storage plants, one a chemical storage, the other an ice storage within four miles of the farms make it possible for the farmers .who are not ready to sell at picking time, to store their fruit. A good deal of the early fruit is drawn to liagara Falls or shipped to commission men in Buffalo. The later fruit is usually sold to local buyers or to men, who come in year after year from outside. There are usually buyers from Chicago, Hew York and Philadelphia e-rerj year. All these conditions tend to bring about competition and usually bring good prices to the farmers. The climate is ideal to the development of the fruit industry. According to weather reports. Lake Ontario has an ameliorating effect upon the temperature, which seems to bring about a more gradual change from summer to winter which insures a more perfect maturity of fruit, twig and bud. The mean annual temperature is about 47.5 degrees. There is a -11- growiug season of 170 days. The elevation is about 640 feet above sea level. Soil type aooording to soil maps is mostly of the Donkirk and Clyde series. The annual precipitation is about 3E inches, one-half of which falls during the growing season. May to September. The farmers in this region depend rerj largely upon men who travel the roads for their help during fruit harvest. Many of these men come out from the cities for a month or two at that season of the year. Others seem to follow fruit harvest up from the south, starting in Florida and working north as the fruit ripens. Many of these men return year after year. There seems to be no trouble in getting all the help needed, although some of it is not very good. land values range from $75 per acre up. Good fruit land sells for $200 and $300 per acre. Comparison of Seven Farms with the Standard . In the following pages each farm is taken up separate- ly, compared with the standard and its strong and weak points noted. Suggestions for improvements are given. -12- FABM I. Efficiency Factors . Labor Income Size of Business 19 IS #2541 1914 $1373 Better Paying Standards 1. Total capital $25570 $26104 $16000 - $60000 2. Total Area 239 239 75 - 200 3. Crop Acres 168 166 50 - 175 4. Acres in Bearing orchard 29 29 25 - 125 5. Aores in non -bearing orchard 12 Man work xmits 958 18 931 ' 6. 600 - 1500 7. Horse work units 605 605 350 - 700 8- HfTo-n onn-i TTo 1 oir\+ 4 4.5 Production 1. Barrels of apples per acre 51 70 70 - 150 2. One -third bushels peaches per acre 1 169 __- 300 - 500 3. Pounds pears per acre 9760 4400 800 - 15000 4. Fruit Index 98 97 120 - 200 Diversity 1. Per cent total receipts from orchard fruits 57. 2. #500 products Apples #2445 Pears 610 Plums 613 38 Apples$1607 Beans 594 Wheat 1056 Hay 602 -13- The Parm. The farm is located within two miles of a shipping station, and 10 miles of Niagara Falls, a city of 35,000 pop- ulation. It is about one and one -half miles from the farm to a good macadam road to the east and £ miles to a hrick boulevard to the west. The soil is of Dunkirk loam and Clyde loam type. The farm lays pretty flat and is somewhat in need of drainage. The soil is in good fertility. The operator was born and has lived on the farm of 196 acres his entire life, 56 years. The last few years he has out hay on shares on a farm of 43 acres, 33 of which are in woods. Profits . The first year's record shows a labor income of $2540 which comes well within the standard. In 1914, a very bad year for all the farmers of that region, he made |1373 which was due largely to his crop sales aside from fruit. Size. The profits were made the first year from 168 acres of crops and in 1914 from 166. This is the largest farm of the seven. In capital, total acres and crop acres it comes within the standard, also in acres of bearing fruit. Man and horse work units are good. It is a four-man business. Production. In production this man was below average as shown by fruit index, pears being the only crop to go over 100 per cent in 1913 and apples in 1914. He, however, had a large business and so made a good labor income in spite of poor production in fruit. -14- Diversity . TMs man's income was pretty evenly distributed between fruit and other crops, 57.4 per cent of his total receipts coming from orchard fruit in 1913 and 38 per cent in 1914. He had three products over |500 in 1913 and four in 193.4* Summary . The relation between fruit and other crops that this man had, while it may have been a weakness in 1913. certainly proved a strong point in 1914, when the apple crop sold for only |1.25 per barrel. This farmer purchased 9 head of young stock in 1913. He has kept them a year and a half for an increase of about $20 per head. He said he realizes that their feed and pasture have cost him more than the increase. He expects to get rid of them as soon as possible. As he wants the manure and also wants to feed up his roughage, it might pay him to winter and fat steers or sheep. -15- FARM II. Effloleney Faotors. 1913 Labor Income #2161 Sise of Business 1. Total Capital 2. Total Area 3. Crop Acres 4. Acres in Bearing orchard 5. Acres in non- bearing orchard 6. Man work units 7. Horse work units 8« Man equivalent Production 1. Barrels of apples per acre 2, One -third bushels peaches per acre 510 3, Pounds pears per acre 18703 4. Fruit Index 189 Diversity 1, Per cent total re- ceipts from orchard fruits 90 2. #500 Products Peaches $5153 684 1914 -$ 522 Better Paying Steuidards 122415 #22505 #16000 - #60000 125 125 75 - 200 103 103 50 - 175 41 45 25 - 126 d 14 10 634. 853 5 600 - 1500 385.2 356. 5 350 - 700 3 2. 2 _. 11150 13 57.4 70 - 150 300 - 500 800 120 15000 200 -16- The Farm . The farm is in two parts, 100 acres where the buildings are and 25 acres 2 miles away. This man did not have enough land to raise his grains so he purchased the 25 acres three years ago. All the fruit and woods are on the home place. He works the 25 acres, goes back and forth and brings all the grain and hay home. The farm is valued at #125 per acre. He is within one -fourth mile from a brick boulevard and only one-fourth mile from a switch on a trolley line. Profits . In 1913 he had a big peach crop and sold them for a dollar a bushel and thus he was able to make #3161. He could have made more for he left tons and tons of plums on the trees, not because he could not get help, but because they were cheap, only 50 cents per bushel. He was making lots of money from his peaches ;)ust then so he said "let them go", and he did, only picking #200 worth. In 1914 a total peach failure caused him a loss of $522. Size . He had a crop area of 103 acres, 41 of which were bearing fruit in 1913 and 45 in 1914. Thirty acres of this fruit are in peaches. This comes within the standard. He is only fair in his total productive work units. Production . A big peach crop, 500 baskets per acre in 1913 to- gether with a good pear yield made it a good year, but in 1914 when the peach crop failed, the fruit index dropped from -17- 189 per cent to IS per cent and the labor income dropped from $3161 to -#52£. Diversity . Witli 90 per oent of his receipts from orchard in 1913 he made #3161 even though it all came from one or two products. When his main crop failed him, he had only one other crop to fall back upon and that fell below the #500 mark. There is not so much risk when one has three or four products from which to derive his income. Summary . Due to a large acreage of peaches and a large pro- duction in 1913, he made $3161, but when that crop failed him in 1914 he failed to make a labor income. He has a good sized business. Working a farm two miles from home is quite a disadvantage, much time being wasted in going back and forth, but he was unable to get land any nearer. -18- PARK III. Efflolenoy Paotors. 1913 labor Income |6185 Size of Business 1. Total capital #22590 2. Total Area 95 3. Crop Acres 82 Better Paying 1914 Standards #1196 #2000+ 4. Acres in Bearing orchard 41 6. Acres in non- bearing orchard 14 6. Man work units 915.5 7, Horse work units 316.3 8. Man equivalent Production 6 22630 #16000 - #60000 95 75 - 200 82 50 - 175 41 25 - 1E5 14 -- ,_, -- 872. 5 600 - 1500 313 350 - 700 6. 25 — m t « < _„ 1. Barrels of apples per acre 95 135 70 - 150 2. One -third bushels peaches per acre 582 300 - 500 3. Pounds peaches per acre 15875 12250 800 - 15000 4. Fruit Index 190 174 120 - 200 versity 1. Per cent total re- ceipts from orchard firaits 94 97 2 #500 products Apples #6900 Apples #4070 Pears 1444 Pears 759 Plums 1185 Plums 1125 Prunes 664 Prunes 1050 1209 ^ „ -^^ _ -19- The Farm , Farm III la one of the amallest and yet the most pro- fitable of the seven farms. It is a farm of 95 aores worth $200 per acre. He has fine buildings upon the place, total value of buildings is #8000. It is practically level land for the most Dunkirk losun, however, some Clyde fine sandy loam. It is very fertile as the crops show. The present owner purchased the place in 1890 for |9000. The land borders ISTiagara River and so offers fine facilities for drainage. There is a trolley line, with a switch, which runs through the place. The place is also on a brick boulevard and one and one -fourth miles from New York Central Hailroad. Profits . The labor income made by this farmer was the highest , both for the year 1913 and for the average of the two years. In 1913 it was |6185 and in 1914, |1196. Size. The farm comes well within the standard for both years in all respects as far as size goes. It is not as large as several of the other farms, however. He has 6 men and 8 horses on his small place yet he does better than any one else. Production . SIfhile he has fairly good size as compared to the standard, it is really his production and the price he gets that make for him such success. In 1913 he produced, lacking 10 per cent , twice as much per acre as the average and one and -80- three -fourths times as much in 1914, Upon a 20 acre apple orchard he produced 96 barrels per acre in 1913 and 125 in 1914 as compared to 56, the average for the region. Peaches also averaged twice as much as the average in 1913. Diversity . This farmer received 94 and 97 per cent of his total receipts from fruit in the years 1913 and 1914 respectively, and these returns did not come from one kind of fruit , hut from four or five, varying in amount from #664 to #6900. The great variation in the two years is due to the fact, as I stated before, that the peach crop was a total failure in 1914 and the price of apples was Just about the cost of production. Prices . There is another factor that is of great importance to the fruit grower and that is prices. It was partly due to poor prices of apples in 1914 that made some of these farms failing propositions. It is due to some extent to prices that this farmer has been able to make such good profits. He has for years dealt in fruit, principally apples, as a buyer and due to this fact commands a better price for his products. For example , the price that most of the farmers received for apples in 1913 was #3.00 per barrel. This man sold for #3.50 which meant |950 on his 1900 barrels. The same thing happened this past year. He sold for |1.40 to #1.50 while other far- mers sold for $1,25 to $1.35, Summary . A good sized farm, 41 acres of which are in bearing -El- orohard, excellent yields and the ability to sell that fruit, especially apples from 25 to 50 cents more a barrel than the average farmer, made for this farmer a labor income of $6185 in 1913 and #1196 in 1914, Uine horses and 6 men seem rather high for a place of 95 acres. By studying labor efficiency this might be reduced. -22- FARM lY. Efflcienoy Factors . Labor Income Size of Business 1913 Better Paying 1914 Standards IllO $2000+ 1. Total capital #13470 #14007 #16000 - #60000 2. Total Area 97 97 75 - 200 3. Crop Acres 90 87 50 - 175 4. Acres in Bearing orchard 21 21 25 - 125 5. Acres in non-bearing orchard 31 35 6. Man work units 692 705.5 600 - 1600 7. Horse work units 357,5 369.6 350 - 700 8. Man equivalent 3.25 3.4 Production 1. Barrels of apples per acre 28 33 70 - 150 2. One -third bushels peaches per acre 300 - 500 3. Pounds pears per acre 9881 6606 800 - 15000 4. Fruit Index 119 87 120 - 200 Diversity 1, Per cent total receipts from orchard fruits 77 71 E. #500 products Pears #1384 Pears #1057 -23- The Farm . This farm I broxight in just to show a way of getting started in the fruit industry in that region. These two brothers bought the farm in 1909; one was a lawyer who had had one year of practical farming experience and two IE weeks* winter courses at New York State College of Agriculture; the other was a civil engineer with very little farm experience. They had a little money so purchased the farm for $12125. giving a mortgage for $6000 at 5 per cent. There were about 15 acres of bearing orchard on the farm at that time. The farm is 97 acres in area, is alongside of Farm III on a brick boule- vard and has a trolley line running through the place. They began at once to set out fmit and have continued until at the present time they have 35 acres in young orchard, some of which should bear this next year. All this time they have Just about made expenses. They sold some fruit from the bearing orchard, some cash crops, kept a couple hundred hens and sold eggs. Their man and horse work units are somewhat low, and while the fruit index is 119 per cent in 1913. it is figured entirely from 8 acres of pears and 3 of apples. The receipts from fruit are 71 and 77 per cent, because the small amount of fruit .which was principally pears, was all they had to sell. Labor income is low as one would expect it to be on a system of this kind. In order to be fair, one should per- haps increase the real estate valuation of the property, but -24- Just how much It has increased due to the setting out and growing of trees is a question, ao in this paper the valuation has been kept the same for both years. These two brothers will have a business in a few years that will no doubt pay them well for the time they have waited. They are setting out several kinds of fruit. They should, however, strive to increase the efficiency of their labor. Missing Page Missing Page -26- FARM V. Efflclenoy Factors . Labor Income Size of Business 1913 11145 1914 Better Paying Standards |E000+ 1. Total capital $1 J0978 #21164 116000 « $60000 2. Total Area 93. ,5 91.5 75 - 200 3. Crop Acres 64. 5 61 50 - 175 4. Acres in Bearing orchard 22. 5 22,75 25 - 125 5. Acres in non -tearing orchard Man work units g A 6. 599. 5 706.2 600 - 1500 7- Horse work units 355. 7 383.6 350 - 700 H- Man equivalent otion 4 4.3 Produi TB 1. Barrels of apples per acre 122 70 - 150 2. One -third bushels peaches per acre 366 141 300 - 500 3. Pounds pears per acre 18370 2300 800 - 15000 4. Fruit Index 142 92 120 - 200 Diversity 1, Per cent total re- ceipts from or- chard fruits 2. #500 products Pears 71 64 11608 Apples # 757 -27- The garm. The farm is situated on a macadam road one -half mile from the village of Lewiston. There is an area of 91,5 acres, 8 acres of which are in the village one-half mile from the buildings. The soil, a Dunkirk clay and Dunkirk loam, is well drained. It is valued at |181 per acre. The value of buildings is $8300. Profits. The farm made #1145 in 1913 and a minus $305 in 1914 which is much below the standard. Size . Crop acres come within the standard, but acres of bearing orchard is low. The productive man and horse work units are also rather low. Production . His production was good in 1913 as shown by crop index, , , but it all came from only 10 acres of fruit. The yield of pears was exceptionally high, being above the upper limit set by the standard. The production was only 92 per cent average in 1914. Although he got 122 barrels of apples per acre, it only came from 4 acres, however. Diversity . Receipts from orchard fruits were 71 and 64. There was only one product over $500, pears $1608 in 1913 and apples $757 in 1914, \Vhile he had other fruit he did not have enough of any one kind to include it in the $500 products. -S8- Stmnnary. On the whole the business was rather small, 61 and 64 crop acres, 2E.75 of which were in bearing orchard. Produc- tion was good in 1913. but it came from only a small acreage. Diversity included only one $500 product. This farmer, however, is keeping a better grade of cows and makes quite a little from butter; he is also going into breeding of pure -bred hogs to some extent and thus in- creasing the size of his business. It would probably pay him to set out more fruit as the ones who have more than he make more. FARM YI. Efflolenoy Factors * Labor Income Size of Business 1. Total capital 2. Total Area 3. Crop Acres 4. Acres in Bearing fruit 5. Acres in non -bearing fruit 6. Man work units 7. Horse work units 8. Man equivalent Production 1. Barrels of apples 1913 $4898 Better Paying 1914 Standards -$666 |2000+ $29656 #29670 #16000 - #60000 144 144 75 - 200 127 129 50 - 175 54 54 25 - 125 23 1028. 23 944. 5 8 600 - 1500 456. 4 437. 5 350 - 700 4. 3. 1 _. per acre 60 36 70 - 150 2, One -third bushels peaches per acre 562 75 300 - 500 3. Pounds pears per acre 10000 1667 800 - 15000 4. Fruit Index 135 44 120 - 200 Diversity 1. Per cent total re- ceipts from or- chard fruits 2. #500 products Apples Pears Peaches 89 72 #1211 500 #4700 2250 1125 Apples Pears -30- The Farm . This farm of 144 acres is one and one-half miles east of Farm 7 on the same maoadam road. The land is very fertile. The soil type is of Dunkirk loam and Clyde loam. The land is a little wet and needs drainage especially the northern part of the farm. The farmer purchased this farm 5 years ago. Before that time the apple orchard was not taken care of. He began at once to renovate it and at the present time it is his main source of income. Profits . This farmer did well in 1913. He made a labor income of #4898. In 1914, however, ho peaches, low price of apples caused him to make a minus $666 labor income. Size. The farm is of good size 1£7 and 129 acres in crops, 54 of which are in bearing orchard. This will be increased as 23 acres are in young fruit. Productive man and horse work units show up well as compared to the standard. Production . Production is fairly good, it being 135 per cent in 1913. Apples, pears and peaches all were above average and all except apples come within the standard. Production in all fruits were low in 1914. The fruit index was only 44 per cent. Diversity. The receipts from fruit were 89 per cent of the total receipts in 1913 and 72 per cent in 1914. In 1913 there -31- were three products over $1000 and two over #500 in 1914. Stumnary , The good points about this farm is the good size of business and good production in 1913. The weak points are the peaoh failure in 1914 and low price of apples. Produc- tive man and horse work ujiits are good both years. -S£- FAEM Til. Efflclenoy Factors * Labor Income Size of Business 1. Total capital 2. Total Area 3. Crop Acres 4. Acres in Bearing 1913 |37E1 #35924 160 150 1. Barrels of apples 1, Per cent total re- ceipts from or- chard fruits E, |500 products Plums Grapes Peaches Prunes 90 Better Paying 1914 Standards #1E46 #2000+ #36079 #16000 - #60000 200 75 - 200 167 50 - 175 orchard 68 89 25 - 125 5. Acres in non-bearing orchard 60 60 1654.8 6. Man work xmits 1537.3 600 - 1500 7. Horse work units 645 687,1 350 - 700 8. Man equivalent Production 8.8 5.5 per acre --- 69 70 - 150 2. One -third bushels peaches per acre 420 47 300 - 500 3. Pounds pears per acre 3714 1700 800 - 15000 4. Fruit Index 144 51 120 - 200 Diversity 88 #750 Grapes #1680 1200 Peaches 1900 6040 Prunes 1200 1170 Apples 1918 -33- The Operator * The operator attended the Winter course In Hew York State College of Agriculture three years, managed a farm for one year, then moved on his father's farm of 100 acres and worked it on shares. The next year he purchased a farm of 60 acres. He commenced at once to set out trees on his own place. This was four years ago. He now has the 60 acres all out to apples, with pears, plums and prunes as fillers. The Farm . The landlord's farm of 100 acres is situated on a macadam road one and one -half miles from a shipping station. It is mostly Clyde loam soil and is nearly all in fruit. Due to its heing mostly all in fruit, the feed, grain, etc., are raised in the young orchard on the operator's farm. The landlord is supposed to furnish one-half the feed and so to simplify matters at the time of settling he pays the operator $4 per acre for the feed raised on the operator's farm. The feed is then fed undivided. This accounts for the cash re- ceipt for rent to the operator and the rent paid out by the landlord in the record blank. The operator's farm is on a good road one and one-half miles from the railroad. The soil is Clyde loam and is well drained. He has to go one and one-half miles to work this place. In 1914 the operator cash rented 40 acres of land, £0 of which were in apples, for #200. His uncle helped him work this strip, for which |400 is allowed in the record. -34- Profits. In 1913 the operator made #1251 labor income, the farm $3721 and the landlord made 17 per cent on a |20,000 in- vestment. In 1914 the operator made |596, the farm #1246 and the landlord 7 per cent on his investment. In order to have it comparable with the other records, I have used the farm labor income in this paper. Size . While this is not the largest farm in total acres, it is the largest in all other respects, 150 and 167 crop acres, 68 in 1913 bearing orchard and 89 in 1914, also 60 acres in non-bearing. Man and horse work units are at the upper limit set by the standard. It is a big business. Production . In 1913 production was good, coming, however, almost entirely from peaches which produced 420 baskets per acre. In 1914, due to peaches, the fruit index was only 51 per cent. Diversity . In 1913. 90 per cent of the receipts were from orchard fruits and 88 per cent in 1914. There were four products each year yielding over #1000. Summary . This farmer has an extra large business, and jt will increase yearly as the young fruit comes into bearing. Large size and good production realized for him a labor income of $3721 in 1913, In 1914 in spite of poor production he made |1246. Having three places all separated is a disadvantage and makes it difficult to use labor efficiently. -35- A sTimmary of these seven farms show that the average labor Inoome in 1915 was #3104. In 1914 the average labor income was $347, three out of the seven made a minus labor in- come, their expenses being greater than their receipts. An average of the two years show that these seven farms made on an average .;1;1726 per farm. Whether or not this great varia- tion occurs year after year would require records for several consecutive years to determine. The farmers, however, say that a total peach failure like last year, and which was a big factor in their low labor incomes, does not come more than once in 10 or 15 years. The writer has attempted in this paper to point out and work out some of the important factors in successful farming in the fruit region of Hiagara County and further to show how these factors may be used, by using them as a basis of a discussion of seven farms. B 'M ,',<■?., ,' Bl