ical New York farming section-was $423 or $35.25 a month, in addition to which he had a house to live in and such produce as he could use from the farm. That is an interesting comment on the success of the Eastern farmer but it is not the last word. It is based, for example, on a total average farm income of $757 and most farmers call this their earnings.

But the only fair test of a farming success is the net return to the farmer for his labor after the invested capital and

THREE MISTAKES.

The top photo shows too many trees for a pasture, too few for a woodlot. Either the trees or the stock should be removed. The second photo shows one of the many ineffective country roads that would better be closed altogether. The third photo indicates the most wasteful way possible of storing manure. A large percentage of the plant food is bleached out before the manure reaches the fields.

his family have been allotted their earnings. The novelty of this method of ca!culation is evidenced in some of its odd results. Men considered by their neighbors and themselves to be doing exceedingly well were really getting nothing or less than nothing for their work. Many of the most attractive "examples of model farming" were in this class, while others that were generally considered poor farms, were really doing well. Appearances, it was shown, went for very little.

The wages of a farm hand or "hired man," in the region are from $300 to $350 or occasionally more a year, with house rent, garden, wood and milk added. The survey showed that roughly onethird of the owners made less than hired men, one-third made about the same and one-third made more. This did not look as if the farmers of the country received more than their share of the country's prosperity, for the period covered was one of good crops and good prices. However, of the prosperous third, 57 made a labor income of more than $1,000, 25 of more than $1,500 and one of $3,668, or $300 a month merely for his labor. Evidently it was and is possible to make a good living on a farm in typical Tompkins County.

The problem of the survey was to discover why these few succeeded so well and the others did so poorly, to see if there were fundamental reasons why all the farmers could not at least make more than their hired help. This was of importance not only to the farmers of Tompkins County, but generally, for the solution of this local problem is evidently the key to the restoration of the Eastern farming industry and in a large measure, the re-establishing of balance between the urban and rural populations of the country. The survey did solve the problem and answer definitely all the related questions.

It found, for example, that more than one-third of the owners had an invested capital of less than $4,000 and these averaged profits of less than a hired man's wages, while those with a capital of $10,000 averaged a good labor income. Το decide if this was not because the more able men have the larger capitals much care was taken and it was not. Of 236 farmers with not more than $4,000 cap

709

to keep two men steadily employed throughout the year.

Many of the survey's findings are so technical as to be beside the purpose of

ital, many of whom were known to be able, only one Imade a labor income of $800. "The possibilities of large profits with so small a capital do not seem very bright," comments the Survey and decides that "one of the weakest points in the farming of Tompkins county is shortage of capital."

It was found that the successful farms had almost the same expense per acre as the failures but were yielding nearly four times as much per acre and in addition had double the acreage. The conclusion was reached that expenses per acre should not be reduced but used more efficiently and the acreage increased to that end.

The average size of the farms in the county is 107 acres. The average owner with less than 61 acres made consider

ably less than wages. Those with more than 100 acres averaged much more than wages. All the figures showed that larger farms were the more profitable. The chief reason for this is the economy of operation made possible by machinery. The chief item of expense in farming is labor and this is much less per acre on the large farms than on the small. The area that is farmed with $100 worth of labor is six times as great on the largest farms as on the smallest.

The conclusion was reached that a general farm should contain at least 150 acres, and is still more efficient when it

a brief review, but an amazing number of points are illuminating and many of them are interesting. For example:

Land in the county is worth from $10 to $90 per acre; the average is $42. The land valued at about $50 averages highest in profits.

Sixty-four per cent of the farmers said that their per acre yields were increasing rather than diminishing, a tribute to the progress of soil conservation. This would indicate that the farmers of Tompkins County, and presumably elsewhere, are alive to this vital issue.

The average owner who is within three miles of market makes about four times as large a labor income as the man more than seven miles out, due chiefly to the excessive loss of time lost in hauling in milk daily.

"Probably the least understood of all the factors that have to do with farming is the proper use of time," says the survey. "No one has given much attention to the planning of farm work."

Those who have the opportunity and ability to use labor effectively make good profits from employing it. Those who direct most labor receive the most for their own work. It appeared that most of the farmers who did not have some help would make more money by hiring

Some six years later, Mr.

John P. Prescott,
wealthy capitalist of
Kansas City was ter-

ribly injured in an
elevator acci-
dent. Every-
thing was
done that
money could
do for the

rich man,
but he
emerged
from the
hospital with
one arm and
one leg less
than when he
entered it. His
surgeons set about
to investigate the
merits of the vari-
ous artificial limbs
then on the market.
By one of those
curious whims
destiny a chance

remark in the smoking compartment of a Pullman car was carried to the ear of one of Mr. Prescott's surgeons and he, with some reluctance and a great deal of incredulity, was persuaded to investigate. The telegraph wires were used without stint and within twenty-four hours a pile

of dispatches on the surgeon's desk evidenced the alacrity and thoroughness of the investigation. Carnes, the machinist, was brought on from Pennsylvania and gave a demonstration of his marvelous arm that amazed all who saw it. He was commanded to produce its mate instanter. And later when Mr. Prescott became its possessor he became so enthusiastic that he set up a factory and placed Carnes in charge.

711

All day and every day, Sunday excepted, these twenty-four men and the one young woman stenographer, labor at the production of man made limbs for their fellow unfortunates. There is no atmosphere of gloom in this factory; the employes are as happy and feel as self-reliant as any other employes. Perhaps they feel that the product of their labor is bringing happiness to others; at any rate they take great interest in their employment and

THIS WORKMAN. THOUGH CRIPPLED. RIDES A MOTOR CYCLE.

He can also play the violin.

seem well content with their lot. In the shop their

skill is not

les

S

tha n men in other shops,

and they have won some renown in athletics, for their ball team recently defeated, in a five-inning game, a scrub nine of the local Y. M. C. A. Certainly this is a fine record for two dozen so-called "cripples."