Farm Management: Chapter VI, Choosing A Farm

The importance of wise selection in choosing a farm cannot be overestimated. The problem is somewhat different than is the problem in choosing for any other business, because two interests must be considered. The farm itself is a business proposition and must be treated as such. The possibility of making a living and a satisfactory income from the farm is the first consideration when viewed from the business standpoint. In this respect it is no different from any other business, but a farm becomes the home of the farmer's family as well as his place of business. Its consideration as a home is quite as important as its consideration as a business. Not only the farmer's tastes must be suited, but the tastes of each member of the family, because if the family is not satisfied and contented with the surroundings, home life is not pleasant and business cannot be well conducted. The home and the business are so closely associated that all factors must be balanced and in the right relation.

42. Healthfulness.

The first consideration for the home should be that it have healthful surroundings. This is quite as important in the farm home as in the city home. Healthfulness on the farm is affected by the kind of soil; by the elevation of the land, whether high or low; by drainage; and by climate. A clay soil that is low and wet is especially unhealthful. If stagnant water stands on the land, the danger to health may become serious. If the low spot is a small one, often drainage can be provided that will relieve the unhealthfulness. If the area is large and affects the entire locality, it is sometimes difficult to improve the healthfulness of the locality. A sandy soil that is well drained and that can be easily tilled

is more likely to be healthful. Disease germs do not multiply as rapidly in such a soil and there is less danger of malaria, typhoid, or other diseases. In selecting a farm, one should determine whether it is possible to provide drainage and to improve conditions so as to make the place healthful and desirable as a family home.

43. Neighbors.

Farmers should not live by themselves. The nature of the business of farming, in which each family produces nearly all of the necessities

of life, tends to make farmers more or less independent. It is not unusual for farmers and their families to live too much by themselves, not participating in the social functions of the neighborhood. This is especially likely to occur if the neighbors are unprogressive and backward. Sometimes the nationality of the neighbors prevents social intercourse. The farmer in choosing a farm should bear in mind that it is the children of the neighbors that his children will go to school with, that they will meet them in lodges, farmers' institutes, county agricultural clubs, and other semi-social and business gatherings. Unless the children of the neighbor are such as he would be willing to have his children associate with, and perhaps marry, it would be better to seek some other locality where the neighbors would be more congenial.

44. Markets.

Good markets near a farm give many advantages in selling the crops or farm produce. If one can locate where the spirit of cooperation is strong, additional advantages may be gained. Cooperative elevators, shipping associations, creameries and stores often help to reduce the cost of marketing the produce. Cooperative ownership of pure bred stock and

of machinery may reduce the cost of production and a cooperative laundry run in connection with the creamery gives a possibility of greatly reducing the heavy labor of the farmer's wife.

45. Schools.

It is important that good schools be near the farmer's home, especially if the farmer is a young man and has a family that will be likely to require educational advantages. While school organizations are changing rapidly in rural districts, it is still quite possible to settle in a neighborhood where schools are undeveloped and backward, and where the neighbors may be unprogressive enough not to desire efficient schools which will give some training along the lines in which the farmer is interested. If one can locate in a neighborhood center near a small village or city where a good school can be attended while the children are living at home, it is an advantage that should be carefully weighed against possibly more desirable farms farther away, or where the schools are poor. The consolidated rural schools, such as are rapidly being organized in Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, the Dakotas, and other states, will do much to encourage the farmers' children in remaining in the vocation. While consolidated rural schools are usually more expensive than the old one room district school, they are also much more efficient. The cost of maintaining them is not nearly so great as would be the cost of sending the children away from home for preparation for college. These schools connected with the high schools in which courses in agriculture are given make easy steps forward in educational lines and lead to the special agricultural schools and colleges.

46. Churches and Social Centers.

Quite as important as the schools are the churches and social centers for farmers' families. So far as possible, the country church should be made the social center of the neighborhood. Frequently the church and the school can be conducted in the same building or at least in the same school or churchyard. The social activities for the whole community should center around these institutions. The school is a common meeting place of the

children, and the church is a common meeting place of the grown-up people. Where both the children and adults can meet in one or the other place on common ground for a rousing good time, sociability is encouraged and the feeling of diffidence or bashfulness wears off. The farmer who chooses a farm in a neighborhood where the church and school are made the centers of social gatherings as well as education, has an advantage, the value of which cannot be estimated in money.

47. Size of Farm.

From the business standpoint many other factors must be considered. One of the most important of these is the size of the farm. While some types of farming demand much more land than others and the size of the farm

must always be gauged by the kind of business to be done, the fact remains, at least for most special types of farming, that a certain proportion of land area is essential to the greatest financial profit. It is impossible to build up a big business on a small piece of land. Agricultural surveys in New York,* in Minnesota, and in other states, all show that the labor income on the farm of small size is usually less than it is on the farms of medium to large size. There is an economic reason for this. On a farm of, say forty acres, devoted to general crops with some live stock products, neither the work animals nor the machinery are used to their full capacity. The labor of the farmer's family is often unemployed during

a good part of the year. The proportion of the farm products required for supporting the family is larger and as a consequence, little is left to sell. On an farm of 160 acres which can be operated with only a little more equipment and machinery, a much larger acreage is handled for the money invested in equipment. As a consequence, the cost of production is greatly reduced. Farms of 240 to 320 acres devoted to raising farm crops or farm crops and live stock combined, offer a possibility of still larger incomes through the more effective use of machinery and equipment, and a consequent decrease in the cost of production. While it is impossible to specify the size of farm that will be most profitable under all conditions, it is safe to say that the medium to large farm can be handled to the best advantage, can be most economically equipped, and will return the largest labor income to the farmer when properly managed. Special types of farming such as truck or fruit growing, are of course, adapted to small sized farms and this general statement will not hold true regarding them. The size of the farm must therefore be adapted to the type of farming and the kind of business to be done.

48. Producing Capacity.

The producing capacity of a farm should be the first consideration from a business standpoint. Soil that is naturally rich and well drained is adapted to large production. Clay and clay-loam lands of the United States where drainage and climate provide satisfactory moisture conditions, are best adapted to crop production. The mixed black prairie soils of the West are rarely abandoned, and while they have been decreased in producing power by unwise cropping, they are easily built up and converted into profitable farms. It is much easier to secure large production on these soils than it is on the hilly, stony farms of New England, or on the sandy lands of the Great Pine regions. They respond to tillage better and yield larger crops than the lands on areas where semi-arid conditions prevail. In selecting a farm, therefore, one should pay especial attention to the soil. He

should consider the possibility of a large production of the crops that he wishes to grow and the possibility of securing a market for his products. The topography of the land has considerable effect upon the producing capacity. If the land is hilly and rolling, it may wash badly or be unadapted to the growth of certain crops. This will prevent the free changing of crops, resulting in poor rotations and lack of soil building methods of farming. The amount of waste land on a farm should also be considered. Besides being unproductive, waste land also interferes with the proper arrangement of fields and increases the cost of production by unnecessary turning or fences.

49. The Soil.

The character of the soil is of the greatest importance. It is easy to determine whether a soil is clay, sand or sand-loam. A mixture of sand and clay in nearly equal parts provides the best foundation soil for most crops. In examining the soil one should note the proportion of sand to clay, even going to the trouble of washing out some of the soil in a saucer or other dish, so as to observe the proportion of sand. The soil that appears to have but little sand on examination when dry, will be found to contain large amounts when washed out. The surface soil should first be examined, noting the proportion of sand and clay, also whether there is vegetable matter in sufficient quantities to provide good physical condition. The subsoil also should be examined to a depth of at least two or three feet. Frequently a thin layer of good soil on the surface will be underlaid by a deep stratum of sand or gravel. Such soil is likely to be leachy, drouthy, and of low productive power. In inspecting the farm it is best to carry a spade or posthole augur, making frequent examinations of the soil in various representative spots to a depth of at least three feet. Testing the soil with litmus paper will show whether or not it contains alkali or is acid in nature. It should be nearly neutral for the best results. A slightly alkaline soil will grow better crops than one that is acid in character.

When the soil cannot be examined as mentioned above, an idea of the nature of the soil can often be approximately determined by observing the plants growing upon it. Oak, maple and other hardwood trees are usually found growing upon clay land, which when cleared is productive and satisfactory for growing the small grains and corn. Sandy lands are indicated by the vegetation growing upon them. Jack-pine land is likely to be sandy and is somewhat hard to bring into strong producing power when cleared. Land which produces an abundant crop of weeds will be found strong in crop producing power. Similar observations may be made in the way that grasses and other crops grow. Certain grasses such as timothy, the clovers, and redtop, are adapted only to the heavier or mixed soils. They are not found to be growing in profusion on sandy soils unless these sandy soils are well watered. In judging the soil by the nature of the crops that grow upon them, one must always bear in mind the kind of a season. A very moist season may show a large growth on sandy, drouthy land, where a dry season would show almost a total failure.

50. The Climate.

The climate is also an important factor from a business standpoint. Fortunately, it is now possible with very little trouble to learn a great deal about the climate of any locality. The United States Weather Bureau, Washington, D.C., will supply tables showing in most parts of the United States, the amount of rainfall by months and the total for the year; the date of the earliest killing frost and of the latest frost; and the extremes of heat and cold. In most places additional data can be secured on the velocity of the winds, the frequency of high winds, the appearance of droughts, or other climatic disturbances. These facts should all be looked up before settling on a farm which may become the permanent residence of the family.

51. Proximity to Markets.

Farm products must be put on the market. Often the nature of the product makes it necessary to market frequently, and certain kinds of farm products

must be shipped promptly to reach the markets in good condition. The distance to market, therefore, becomes and important factor. A farm bordering a village or located near a shipping point, equal in producing capacity to one located eight or ten miles away, would have a decided advantage. The percentage of profit due to the saving of time in marketing, and to the possibility of putting the product on the market in better condition, would be large. The best markets are afforded by the large cities. Consequently, the nearer to a large city the farm can be located, the greater the possibility for securing the maximum price for the product. If the goods are shipped in, the freight rates are lower. If they are hauled in by team, the time required is correspondingly low and the expense less. The distance to market is not always measured in miles. A farm three miles from town on a good road may be no farther distant, so far as time is concerned than one located only a mile and one-half from the town on a poor road. The character of the roads leading to the shipping point or the marketing point, should be observed in deciding between farms.

52. Improvements.

In addition to the points mentioned in the preceding sections relating to the business side of choosing a farm, careful comparisons should be made of the improvements on each of the farms under consideration. Frequently a natural spring or creek may provide a water supply which is highly desirable. The value of a wood lot on a farm should not be overlooked. These tow natural resources add greatly to the convenience and ease of operating a farm. Orchards should be examined and their condition noted. An orchard in good condition for bearing has a direct money value. An orchard that is old and where the trees have been poorly cared for, is often worthless. The fences, out-buildings, and other items of equipment which would be transferred with the property, should be examined and their condition noted also. The condition of the buildings especially should be studied

so as to determine their value. It is not an uncommon mistake to buy a farm where the buildings have been poorly arranged, or where they are poorly adapted to the type of farming to be followed, and must be remodeled before they can be useful. Remodeling old buildings is an expensive and unsatisfactory task. It is much better as a rule to buy a farm on which few buildings have been erected, thus giving an opportunity to erect buildings that conform to the purchaser's taste. The shape of the farm in view of the possible arrangement of fields and getting produce to the farmstead and manures back to the fields, should be studied. Account must be taken also of the amount of waste or broken land which would not be useful and may even be in the way of working the good land. Natural meadows have a value also for live stock farming.

Groves, wind-breaks, and suitable arrangement of farmstead, should be carefully considered, both from the business point of view and from the view of home-making. In any event, one should hunt for the best bargain possible. A wide range from which to select is sure to result in more wise selection and more permanently satisfactory results.

Exercises for Pupils

1. Have the class compare several farms in the neighborhood, learning the prices for which they could be bought and determining which is the best bargain.

Score Card for Farmers

Problems

1. A man with cash and credit of $10,000 can purchase either of two farms. The first contains 80 acres and can be bought for $80 per acre. The second contains 160 acres, but can be bought for $50 an acre. If 35% of the purchase price is necessary for equipment, live stock and cash for operating, how much more credit would he need to buy the second farm?

2. A man wishes to go into dairying and has two farms in view. One is located three miles from a cheese factory, and the other six miles. It takes one hour to deliver milk from the first farm, and two hours from the second farm. He delivers milk six days in the week. The man and team labor cost 27¢ per hour. How much more could he pay for the first farm than the second and make the same amount on his dairy when he pays 6% for money?

3. A 5-acre wood lot adjoining a farm is for sale, and the owner is considering the purchase of the same. His coal bill is $65.00 per year. It costs him $5.00 to put in the coal. It would cost him $20.00 more a year to cut and haul the wood than it does to haul the coal. how much can he afford to pay per acre for the wood lot, in order to secure a fuel supply alone, if he must borrow the money at 6% interest?

4. Freight rates on milk are 25¢ per 100 lb. for each 100 miles shipped. A man has 80 cows each producing 5000 lb. of milk annually. What will be the difference in net returns per cow if he is 100 miles, or 200 miles from the city?

5. A farmer buys a farm on a poor highway and finds it costs him 25¢ a ton to haul produce to market. He can secure a good turnpike at a cost of $200.00 distributed over ten years. If it will cost him only 12½¢ per ton on the new road, how many tons a year must he haul to pay the annual ten-year assessment?

References

Home
Library
Contents

Location:				Your Score
	1. Healthfulness of surroundings.	5
	2. Neighbors	5
	3. Schools	5
	4. Churches and social centers.	5
Location Subtotal:			20	Subtotal ( )
Equipment:
	5. Size of farm (as adapted to kind of farming)	5
	6. Natural advantages (wood, water, drainage)	5
	7. Improvements:
	Ditches, tile drains, buildings.	5
	Site of farmstead.	5
	Shape and size of fields.	5
Equipment Subtotal:			25	Subtotal ( )
Production:
	8. Soil: (natural fertility)	10
	9. Condition (freedom from stones, stumps, weeds, and waste land)	10
	10. Topography (as affecting erosion and ease of cultivation)	10
	11. Climate (annual rainfall, temperature, frosts)	5
Production Subtotal:			35	Subtotal ( )
Transportation and Markets:
	12. Wagon roads (kind and condition)	5
	13. Local markets (kind, distance from)	10
	14. Shipping facilities.	5
Transportation and Markets Subtotal:			20	Subtotal ( )
Total:½			100	Total ( )

Chapter VI

Choosing a Farm

41. Selection.