. 36.6 33.4 21.1 27.3
Wheat, bu. 17.8 15.5 9.6 20.6
Oats, bu. 28.9 28.9 26.6 32.8
Potatoes, bu. 84.4 85.8 67.0 119.0
Hay, tons 1.39 1.56 1.32 2.11

AVERAGE FARM VALUE PER ACRE, 1905-1909

Pennsylvania Iowa Texas Oregon
Maize $22.59 $13.80 $12.17 $19.58
Wheat 16.61 12.42 9.11 16.10
Oats 13.33 9.28 12.97 15.20
Potatoes 55.87 44.75 65.15 71.18
Hay 18.74 10.13 13.92 19.60

Such figures as the above may be compiled by anyone at any time for
any year or series of years from the yearbooks of the United States
Department of Agriculture. They form a fairly sound basis for
calculating the gross income which may be expected from the staple
farm crops, particularly for the cereals, potatoes, hay, cotton and
tobacco. Five questions, however, present themselves, which should, as
far as possible, be settled before applying them to an individual
problem.

(1) How nearly do the conditions, especially those of soil and
climate, of the given location correspond to the averages of the
state? The question can be settled only by a thorough study of soils
and their crop adaptation. It is a matter requiring study, experience
and judgment.

(2) How much larger yields may be expected on account of better
methods employed? It is here that most mistakes are made in estimating
possible farm profits. Necessarily, all statistical averages of
production are much below those which an enterprising farmer considers
an average crop and habitually produces. Not more than 50% increase
upon these figures, however, should be anticipated by reason of the
improved methods which one is going to employ.

While the average yield of maize, even in the so-called corn states,
is not far from 30 bushels an acre, and while it is quite common for
good farmers to produce 60 to 75 bushels of maize per acre, it would
not be safe to assume a yield of more than 45 bushels unless the
conditions are more than ordinarily favorable.

The application of the averages given on pages 149-150 to an
individual farm enterprise may be illustrated by calculating the
possible results which might be obtained on 80 acres of arable land in
Iowa and Pennsylvania with the four grea