clover,
alfalfa, timothy, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbages, garden peas and
apples. The animal products sold will be chiefly butter fat, wool,
mutton, veal, pork and eggs. This is neither a long nor complex list
of products. They are all adapted to the farm which the writer has in
mind. Yet the man who operates this farm to the highest success will
need to have a knowledge of agronomy, or the raising of field crops,
of horticulture, animal husbandry, including poultry husbandry and
dairying. He needs to have a good understanding of the principles of
agricultural chemistry, to have a knowledge of how to prevent and
combat fungous diseases and insect enemies. To get the most out of his
timber land he should know at least some of the first principles of
forestry, and if he has gained some instruction in the study of
landscape gardening, his home will be more attractive, and his farm a
source of greater pleasure to him.

To proceed with the estimate, the first thing to be done is to make a
record of the cropping system, giving the areas and the estimated
production of each crop. How is the yield per acre to be determined?
Clearly, one cannot afford to estimate his profits on the basis of
some unusual yields. If one could be assured of 40 bushels of wheat,
60 bushels of oats, five tons of hay, 300 bushels of potatoes, or 200
bushels of apples per acre, or 500 pounds of butter fat per cow, or
150 eggs per hen per year, there would be no difficulty about
obtaining a snug labor income. Such results are possible and are
appropriate ideals for which to strive, but are not safe as estimates
on which to do business.

The year books of the United States Department of Agriculture contain
the annual estimate of the yields, and the average December farm price
of staple crops by states. These figures may serve as a basis for
making estimates. If the natural conditions are about the average
stated, one may properly assume that he can obtain an increase of 50%.
He may even hope to double the yield, although it is not safe to
assume such an increase in making an estimate of profits. If the
natural conditions are more favorable or less favorable than the
average, he must take the fact into consideration in his estimates. In
the same way he may consider whether the average December farm price
represents fairly his expectation of the price, or whether because of
favorable location or superior quality of the article purchased he can
expect high