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Washington, D. C. . April 16, 1924 Te

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT
IN CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS REGION OF THE UNITED STATES

By

R. S. WASHBURN, Assistant Farm Economist, Bureau of Agricultural Economics

CONTENTS

Value of Knowing Costs . . .

Centers of Wheat Production in the United Slates

Basic Factors of Cost . . 3

Prices of Laborand Materials . . . . . «. « 2
Summary of Average Costs by Tenure

A Comparison cf Costsin Regions of Widely Different Land Values”
Variation in Net CostperAcre. . . . «» 2. . «© «
Variationin Net Cost per Bushel i

Effect of Yieldon Cost per Bushel . . .

Use of Quantity Requirements of Labor and Materials i in Cornatng ‘Coste
Summary of Labor Practices

WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1924

mae Pa; ht clea

em FS
OT al

a piataietl

Washington, D. C.

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT
IN CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS REGION OF THE UNITED STATES.

By R. 8S. WasHBurn, Assistant Farm Economist, Bureau of Agricultural Economics.

CONTENTS.
Page. : Page.
Value of knowing costs.........- Be Aye tia 1 |. Variation in net cost per acre.../............ 22
Centers of wheat production in the United Variation in net cost per bushel............. 24
PSHE RESP aie a i es nia ra i Gere iae 1 | Effect of yield on cost per bushel............ 28
BASIiCHAGLORSIONCOStle= eee ene eee 3 | Use of quantity requirements of labor and
Prices oflabor and materials................ 14 materials in computing costs..__-___...... 29
Summary of average costs by tenure.......-. ial Ssummarycotlabor prachicess.s-1. 4. see nee 30
A comparison of costs in Regions of widely
Gifterent land avalueseaaser seccsieeecicee = Be 21

VALUE OF KNOWING COSTS.

Under present economic conditions it is increasingly important
for farmers to know and analyze their production costs. The basis
for intelligent farm organization consists of a knowledge of the
relative profitableness of the various enterprises which may be
suited to the particular locality. The choice of enterprises once
being made, comparative costs of the different methods that may
be employed serve as a guide for following those practices which will
result in the highest net return. In farming, asin any other business,
cost statements are desirable to point out the places where production
costs should be lowered and to what extent operations can be expanded
profitably. |

The aim of this bulletin is to set forth a clear statement of the
basic cost factors of winter wheat production, to indicate how these
basic data may be used in calculating the cost of producing winter
wheat, and to point out some of the factors which illustrate economy
and efficiency in production.

CENTERS OF WHEAT PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES.

In 1839 western New York and the region including southeastern
Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern Ohio were the princi-
pal wheat-producing centers of the United States, contributing

Notre.—Acknowledgment is due to H. A. Miller and A. P. Brodell of the Bureau of Agricultural
Economics and to A. F. Swanson, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, for assistance in collecting the field
cost data contained in this bulletin. Thanks are extended to the many wheat farmers through whose
courtesies the securing of the field data was made possible.

59728°—24—_1

2 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

approximately 53 per cent of the total production in the United
States. From these centers the wheat movement has been gradually
westward. In 1859 the principal wheat-producing regions were

SPRING WHEAT
Acresge — 1919

Lech Dot Pepresents
10,000 Acres

Fie. 1.—Distribution of spring wheat acreage in the United States, 1919.

western Ohio, Indiana, Hlinois, southeastern Wisconsin, and southern
Michigan. These States taken together contributed 46 per cent of
the total production. The movement continued westward across

WINTER WHEAT

Acresge — /9/9

Lach Dor Fepresents
/0.000 Acres

Fic. 2.—Distribution of winter wheat acreage in the Uuited States, 1919.

Wisconsin into Minnesota and North and South Dakota, and through
Illinois and Iowa, into Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska, so that, by ¥
Hee these 6 States contributed about 36 per cent of the total pro-
duction,

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. 3

_ During the next three decades, the region of greatest acreage and
heaviest production for both spring and winter wheat has centered in
the Central Great Plainsregion. ( Boe figs.1 and 2.) In 1919 about 66
per cent of the total spring wheat acreage and 57 per cent of the total
spring wheat production was in North Dakota, South Dakota, and
Minnesota, and nearly 47 per cent of the total winter wheat acreage
and 43 per cent of the total winter wheat production was in Kansas,
Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. (See Table 1). Minor wheat
-eenters are found in eastern Oregon and Washington, southwestern
Illinois and southeastern Pennsylvania, extending through Maryland
into Virginia, with a fairly even distribution throughout Ohio, Indiana,
and southern Michigan.

The southern boundary of winter wheat production is limited by
an average temperature of 68° F. from about April 15 to June 15,
or for two months preceding harvest, and more or less closely co-
incides with the northern boundary of the cotton belt. The northern
boundary of winter wheat production coincides in a general way with
the mean winter temperature line of 20°, and corresponds rather closely
with the southern boundary of the spring wheat belt. The northern-
limit of spring wheat has a mean summer temperature of 58° F.
which occurs in the United States only in the western mountains.
The general northern boundary of spring wheat is in Canada.

TABLE 1.—Acreage and production of wheat in the principal spring and winter wheat
States,' 1919.

| Verceninee Percentage
of Unite of United
State. peed States Production. States
Be. wheat wheat
acreage. production,
Spring wheat:
INORG SD BO Gaeta Se ee alle ee ars cree vag |e 7,770, 000 33. 3 53, 613, 000 25.6
SOUTMUDAK OLA Saas ae te a Rae ANE 3, 650, 000 15.7 29, 200, 000 14.0
MEMOS OCA tetera eee ney oe eirepece ete Lona ne 3, 950, 000 16.9 36, 735, 000 17.5
ANOUEIa5 BAe ears SE Th eet ho eens OPES Feat EER IN 15, 370, 000 65.9 | 119,548, 000 Site
Winter wheat:
LESESH OTS S eB pl os ee OA roe ren ie Si NST ela de ga 11, 594, 000 23.2 | 150,722,000 20.6
(MESS OUT eames ley or eine ernest eae a 4,274, 000 8.6 57, 699, 000 7.9
ING DnaS Kaeser es ale ee ee L ee ee Beer een: 3, 716, 000 7.4 54, 997, 000 7.5
CONFIEH ovo) 0 oe Heater er ch USE re WG ee My ar eee 3, 760, 000 7.5 52, 640, 000 2
Bee OLE eipetaetie sp. Moe hel en ra Se alate ices cia Nae ore 23, 344, 000 46.7 | 316, 058, 000 43.2
Spring wheat; UmitediStates-) 2. --28 5-4. osce.- 22: 7B opis 0100) |nooocsodoase 209301 5000) | fees a eee
Wanterwheats Umited States cus semesters meee lls 49 O05 O00 See cemsces (SL N03G5 OOM seers. eee

1U.S8. Dept. of Agriculture Yearbook, 1919.
BASIC FACTORS OF COST.

In areas of dense wheat production such as are found in the central
Great Plains region of the United States, the wheat crop is the principal
and sometimes the only source of income to the farmer. Under such
conditions the question of costs and profits in wheat production is
of vital importance.

Basic cost factors such as hours of man labor and horse labor,
amounts of fertilizer, quantities of seed, etc., are desirable measures
of cost. Cost items expressed as money units are subject to consider-
able change, especially during periods of wide price fluctuations.
The same items, when Sorel: in terms of quantity requirements

4 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

of labor and materials, are much more stable and lend themselves
better to analytical studies. An accumulation of such data serves
as a basis for the timely estimating of costs which can not be made
with any degree of accuracy without the use of such items. A close
estimate of the cost per acre may be made by applying current prices
to the basic quantity requirements of labor and materials, and by
the use of the current yield a cost per bushel may be obtained. Such
information serves as a basis for the approximate determination of
costs at the end of each crop year before the crop is marketed.

Numerous basic cost data for the more important wheat areas are
now available for such use. <A part of these data have been published,
and it is the aim of the Department of Agriculture to make additional
information available as it is collected, with the hope that in time a
solid foundation of such basic material will be available for the timely
Eons of costs in all of the principal wheat centers of the United

tates.

The present study of basic cost requirements, together with the
acre and bushel costs, is for the crop year 1920. The data were
obtained through personal visits to representative wheat growers in
10 counties of 4 important winter-wheat States. (See Table 2). In
selecting these counties an attempt was made to choose districts
illustrating the physical and economic influences affecting the basic
requirements and costs. In these counties from 50 to 85 per cent of
the total crop area was devoted to winter wheat. ©

Wherever possible the items of expense have been expressed in
terms of physical quantities such as hours of labor, quantities of seed,
and twine. Since costs vary widely because of differences in yield
and in the amounts and prices of labor and materials, special attention
has been given throughout this bulletin to such variations.

Items of cost have been considered in the following order: (1)
Labor and power, which includes the direct man labor and horse and
tractor power; (2) materials, including. seed wheat, binder twine,
barnyard manure and straw, and commercial fertilizers; (3) other
costs, including farm taxes and insurance, special crop insurance,
use of tractor and other farm machinery, loss on abandoned wheat
acreage, overhead and interest on investment.

TABLE 2.—Acreage and production of winter wheat on farms studied, by counties, 1920.1

| Volun- | Wheat | praie

Wheat .
State and county. Records. | . teer har- 5
| Seeded | wheat. | vested. | ‘02-
|

Missouri: Number.| Acres. Busheis.

Bike Countyesec = a2. ce -- = 4 Bee Ses siete 58 2, 388 28, 022

Warroli@ounbyjem=as eae se se se eee ee ane 59 3, 009 54, 402
Nebraska:

GareCouniyiece. (yee set sede eet ela. Bee 46 2, 076 38, 231

ORI? COTM. sao S SoS eeeeesondeoe ate se sacs aeeeee | 44 2,792 27, 891

Cheyenne Countye*=.2--ss2. 2 eek. ee oe 41 8, 185 137, 441
Kansas:

pLhomas COnnUys = asses fone t= Ss on ete n et ce 43 11, 008 174, 411

MemhersomiCountyasseen o2 50-6. se seeee teu ee 38 4,789 60, 982

IBaWNCC COUN Es ie fea see csl- ow Siew se cies oleae 35 13, 073 139, 059
Oklahoma:

Garneld! County cree. snes oa 5 oS l= SE 60 7, 069 127, 560

Woodward Counttynn--cos-2 -f-ne oe eee wae cee 43 7, 354 60, 338

Dota eee eset See es eet gee ae on. At 467 61, 743 848, 337

1 Similar data were secured in 1919 on 197 spring-wheat farms and on 284 farms in winter-wheat States
and are published in U. S. Department of Agriculture Bulletin 943, “Cost cf producing wheat.’’

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. 5

LABOR AND POWER REQUIREMENTS.

AVERAGE HOURS OF MAN AND HORSE POWER.

The average labor and power requirements shown in Table 3 are
for those farms that were operated exclusively with horses.

The average man and horse hour requirements for land preparation
and seeding showed considerable variation from county to county.
They SS eihiahent in the two Missouri counties, where a relatively
larger percentage of the acreage was covered with smaller tillage
implements than those used in other counties. The requirements
for harvesting and marketing represent the prevailing practice in
cutting the grain and in providing labor for threshing.

A division of the labor as to land preparation and seeding, and
harvesting and marketing, indicates that the man hours for the latter
were slightly greater than for the former, while the horse hours for
land preparation and seeding exceeded those required for harvesting
and marketing in all cases except for volunteer wheat in Thomas
County, Kans.

The average total hours of man labor per acre varied from 6.5 in
Thomas County, Kans., to 16.6 in Carroll County, Mo. The average
hours of horse labor in these two counties were 16.4 and 39.1. In
Thomas County the hours for volunteer wheat were 5.3 and 11.5,
respectively, for man and horse labor.

TABLE 3.—Average man-labor and horse-power requirements per acre, winter wheat, 1920.'

peeiee Harvesting and marketing.
ease Se eee Total hours
per acre.
Hours per Hours per

Prevailing practice.
State and county. © acre: acre.

Part of
Cut Threshed| threshing crew
Man. | Horse. with— | from— | furnished by Man.| Horse.} Man. | Horse.
farmer.
Missouri:
Pike County....-.... 7.4 | 24.6] Binder..| Shock IAs Sex Fee See Coal 9.6 | 14.5 34. 2
Carroll County....... Ube) Po NS seClOsds sllaecClses Ssdene docecese 9.3/1) 21320) |G11636 39.1
Nebraska:
Gage County......... a4 2188. 152200 eC Kaye eset ea ee DOE oe eee ac SLO ale), sib} ct Bey
Clay County.......... 4.3 | 18.3 ]}...do TOKO eS an Pee One Ono 9.5 | 9.8 27.8
Cheyenne County....| 3.4] 14.0 |...do ..do. Field pitchers.| ~ 5.2 9.8] 8.6 23.8
Kansas:
Thomas County—
peeded se sen 1.9 8.1 | Header..| Stack None ses. 838 4.6 S23) (675 16.4
Volunteer...-.... al ie i e aoe Sere 4.6 Soi | Ges} 5
4.5 8.5 inder..| Shock...| Bundlehaulers| 4.0 Uae) |) 56) 26. 0
McPherson County... { AueilUsisana MeN oMUen Estacion el UNonoe as RO) Gill Gell ORE
Pawnee County...... 2.2) 10.6 | Header..|... Gotee si eeane dog aes 4,4 1622 |G 17.8
Oklahoma:
Garfield County...... 4.9 | 20.1 | Binder..} Shock...|..... GOs ioe 4.3 6.9 | 9.2 27.0
Woodward County...| 3.8] 14.4 | Header..| Stack. ..|..... Gorete ee: 4,2 Shan te) 22.7

1 The hours of labor do not include that part of the threshing crew furnished by the thresherman.

VARIATION IN MAN LABOR REQUIREMENTS.

Variation in the hours of man labor required to produce an acre of
wheat was from less than 4 to over 20 per acre. Much of this varia-
tion was due to differences in regional methods of land preparation
and harvesting and marketing. On one of the two farms with a

6 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

man-labor requirement of less than four hours per acre the wheat was
drilled in on disk-harrowed stubble land (see fig. 3), while on the
other farm the crop was seeded on listed land without additional
preparation. Yields were very low on both farms, with the result
that the time required for threshing and marketing was relatively
low. The acreage in wheat on the farms with man-labor require-
ments of 20 hours and over per acre averaged less than 50 acres per
farm; the land was given a thorough preparation and the yield of
wheat was high, requiring a relatively long time to thresh and market.

In Missouri and in Gage County, Nebr., the majority of the farms
are represented in the groups having man-hour requirements of from
10 to 18 hours per acre, while in all other counties the majority of the
farms fall within the 4 to 12 hour group. For all farms 60 per cent
had man-hour requirements of from 4 to 12 hours per acre, while 32
_per cent had man-hour requirements ranging from 12 to 18 hours per
acre.

Fic. 3—Disking stubble land prior to drilling wheat without further preparation. This is a com-
mon method of preparing the seed bed for wheat in Cheyenne County, Nebr.

The average man-hour requirement for all districts was 8.8 per
acre, with a corresponding horsepower requirement of 23.6 hours per
acre. Variation by groups of these requirements was from 3 to 22.6
ee nour per acre and from 8.1 to 50.2 horse hours per acre. (See

able 4. . :

EFFECT OF USE OF TRACTOR ON TOTAL MAN AND HORSE HOUR REQUIREMENTS.

A comparison of the man and horse hours required to grow an
acre of wheat on farms where no tractors were owned. with the man,
horse, and tractor requirements per acre on farms where tractors
were owned, is shown for three counties in Table 5. Although in
each county the crop area per farm was larger on the tractor-owned
farms than on those operated by horses, the tillable acreage per farm
in each group is large enough to make the data comparable. The
part of the total acreage covered by different operations varied con-
siderably and these variations had a direct effect on the relative
amount of work required. per acre.

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS.

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s BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

In Cheyenne County, Nebr., where tractors were owned, a greater
percentage of the acreage was covered for most operations than where
tractors were not owned, and a much larger percentage of this work
was performed by the tractor than by horsepower. Notwithstanding
this fact the man labor per acre was 4.1 hours less for the farms where
tractors were used. On the other hand, in McPherson County, Kans.,
and Garfield County, Okla., about the same amount of total work was
done on the farms in each group. However, the percentage of this
work done with horses on the farms where tractors were owned was
much greater in these two counties than in Cheyenne County, Nebr.,
resulting in a saving in time of only one man hour per acre for farms
on which tractors were owned.

These comparisons show that the use of tractor power in wheat
production results in a material saving of time, the amount of which
depends largely on the intensity of use of the tractor.

TaBLE 5.—Efect of use of tractor on total man and horse hour requirements per acre,
winter wheat, 1920.

Farms ated by hors =
ee y DOS | Farms operated by horse and tractor power.

ff faems, OP cropacres 23 farms, 374 crop aeres per farm.

pet farm.
Cheyenne County, Nebr.
i = she Percentage of
| Hours per acte. pancne Hours per acre. (SEs Se.
| ageoi |
acreage |
aa -, | covered.) y¢ : ‘Man and Man and
oe Horse. Man. Horse. | Tractor.| pore | tractor.
nS SS
Labor and power: d : : |
Prepareland and seed........] 3.8 fe a ee 0.8 1.2 peeoteees
Harvest and market. .-..-..-- 6.6 10 O'S LD wea 43 a Soe ee
LNT EST ee OU a Ss ae eae 1b. pie fod Hl Bey SE * 6.3 5.7 | LUST Bien See a Seen oe ee
Wheai acreage: :
Blower eee ies eae 30 | ee Se ee ee ee i 538
Disked.....- SRE PI SSE ten 29) Ay Rae (ee aha LS ae 1 83
arrowed 2-3-5 ee ee $2 ee ee eee 19 5
Brg. ee ey Le ee Or en ey 100;f ae ee fete. 30
BEBE oe es 8 eee oe ee 1D eee ee 22 | 78
24 farms, 177 crop acres a o peo se
per farm. 13 farms, 245 crop acres per farm E

P g
Hours per acre. excentage of

Percent- acreage covered.
age oi | ae
eel | Man and|Man and
; =. | covered.| eer Fes an and Mana
Man. | Horse. Man. | Horse. | Tractor. horse. tractor.
Labor and power: | |
Prepareland and seed... ..--- 4.3 ARS Ss ee } 3.2) 6.9] 1.3) Se eee
Harvest and market... ....._- 4.3 fat eee 4.4 5. 6 | 212 Se eee
die ee oC eee eee 8.6 7S: Bh Ree Ae 7.6 (pas [PE eee Le Se
Wheat acreage: i
a Wa oe. eed ee ( a Bee [<2 [Eee hes 74
[hoe 277 Re eal ES SP ae Rae eee Pree 9G |= 27 canes 14 4
(Ech ee ee es | Bee ee ee 72D Weis) bas eee 140 7
Sed | 2. SS OR eS Sd 10 1E Se ner ee peers = soe 80 20
Cig ee ee are a | IOP ee a eae oe | 47 53

1 The percentage of the acreage covered with the harrow refiects both the acreage harrowed and the

number Oi times harrowed.

.
|

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. 9

TABLE 5.—Effect of use of tractor on total man and horse hour requirements per acre,
winter wheat: 1920—Continued.

41 farms, 157 crop acres 10 farms, 205 crop acres per farm.

per farm.
Percentage of
Garfield County, Okla. Hours per acre. Bene Hours per acre. acreapecovered:
age of
acreage
covered. Man and|Man and
Man. | Horse. Man. | Horse. | Tractor. rorsemeleeraccor!
Labor and power:
Prepare land and seed........ 4.7 IDES) sabsoseae 3.5 8.3 LoSullae ssa eee
Harvest and market......... 4.6 Ugouleere eset 4,8 6.3 a fel [sere Ek aan
Motaliee reese ek Tar CREEPS City ae eee gia 14.6 ke vere ees ee em ie
Wheat acreage: he
IDO G0 Bag aasd Coane eee eden] facesece aasbesce OIG reas coces|eatss Sea Ie ete Sra 18 80
BTS OCs peer eee eae ed erie ete otto everererei state fava ata ots sitrall sieve aten Sieicylis ale S\scetGcal| Meciarate Sr she 22 21
ISN Oh e0 beawO emn ce ate Saran eee eae aaeees PAU) Ee ate ers Karl eer tes Peele ea 116 5
Dane assess dedcauconcanbaas Soe eerecs ate saere LOO a | ee ears | onsen alo yayers pie 93 7
Olin exRioeree Aobee Gdicoue cee OA SulIsnosescn moemamee 100 cogdeadallasssudée|losaesacas 48 52

1 The percentage of the acreage covered with the harrow reflects both the acreage harrowed and the
number of times covered.

REQUIREMENTS OF MAJOR FIELD OPERATIONS WHEN DONE WITH HORSE AND WITH
TRACTOR POWER. |

Greater amounts of labor and power are required for plowing than
for most other operations involved in wheat growing. The average
man hours for plowing with tractor power were 1.4 less per acre than
when this operation was performed with horsepower and 1.2 hours
of tractor power were required as against 11.2 hours of horsepower.
A similar relation with respect to man labor exists for all other
operations except harvesting with the binder. On these farms for
this work a man was used to operate the binder in addition to the
tractor operator, which served to increase the man hours required
for this operation when performed by tractor power. (See Table 6.)

TABLE 6.—Comparison of requirements per acre of major field operations when done with
horse and with tractor power, winter wheat, 1920.

Man and horse. Man and tractor.
Operation. Hours per acre. Hours per acre.
Number Number
reporting. reporting.
Man. Horse. Man. Tractor.
OW C2 eee ici notks or Aisa Scere sees ae: 301 ant 1. 2 82 1.3 6
DISKIN Gehan hate see atom isie 216 1.2 5. 0 53 6 :
EVATRO WAN Se oe serene mew aneire neeeniteen= 331 4 2.1 25 3
Drillinteeeey eo sckncceee wee ees enecion eee 421 1 2. 8 39 5
Citi! @wathipinder) Sass eee ss see ee 326 U 3.0 66 1.0

HARVESTING AND THRESHING REQUIREMENTS. .
Labor and power requirements as shown in Table 7 represent the
three prevailing methods employed in harvesting and threshing wheat
in the counties studied. Requirements for harvesting and threshing
with the combine represent work done exclusively by tractor power

59728°—24—_2

10 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

while requirements for harvesting with the header and binder are for
horse-propelled machines. Of the three methods, the use of the
combine resulted in the greatest saving of man labor. Slightly
greater amounts of labor and power were required for harvesting
and threshing with the binder and thresher than with the header and
thresher. In Missouri, and in Gage and Clay Counties, Nebr., the
entire wheat acreage was cut with a binder. (See fig. 4.) In the
more westerly areas the header was substituted for the binder on a
majority of thefarms. (See fig.5.) Use of the combine was not com-
mon except in Cheyenne County, Nebr. (See fig. 6.)

Fic. 4.—Harvesting wheat with a binder. Forty-nine per cent of the total winter wheat acreage included
in the study was harvested with a binder. Courtesy of Kansas State Board of Agriculture.

TABLE 7.—Labor and power requirements for harvesting and threshing winter wheat, 1920.

Hours per acre.

Method. ; I
Man. Horse. | Tractor.
' |
Combine:
meaue ane: tnreshing s. 3) 0. ee eee So ee ee as
Passe Phy Ds Soe 2 as ea ss ee 9
eee ee ie eas ES He Da SOc ee pep.

Header and thresher:

PERE TEESATIO ERE RINNE es oe ee SY SU Te Se oe ee 2.8 |
PERCE HTUTR SLACKS ee ye ee ok oF EL ee eee 1.5
rapa bastergh ay Gaede ee Sere Se ae ee -8
ATES) See SR Se SS a ee ee ee eae cerns SE Fe at
Binder and thresher: >
Jev1S tie ee oe Pe Pe ees Se ky ee eee ee ee SOT Se oH reef Pee eee
SS One Re aya See et ee Ew ao RS ee ee Si! 2 mere ey [2 ee Te
CERT ee eiyi ita esl 7a gee ale ae oe a ge ae se ee Es ge SES 1.6 =a) Bee eee
Threshing from stack------- eS Ae ae Pe I ra ee he ee 1 OE eee eee -3
gS EPTR LTT eg yp By 1 Me Re SP eS ee ee See eS ag | SPS REE ee ter
Gia aoa ae ot ee Sa ee Ln ae ee 5.3 72 5

bites ous

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. cba
MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS.

Seed.—Varieties of soft winter wheat such as Harvest nee and
Fultz predominated in Missouri, while in all other districts hard win-
ter wheat was-most in evidence. Of the hard winter wheat varieties,
Turkey Red was the most common. |

There seems to be a rather well defined relation between the aver-
age annual rainfall and the quantity of seed sown per acre. An in-
sufficient amount of moisture in the soil renders it incapable of sup-
porting a heavy growth of wheat; as a result, less seed is used than
where moisture is not a limiting factor. Rate of seeding ranged from
an average of 0.74 of a bushel in Thomas County, Kans., a region of
limited rainfall, to 1.3 bushels per acre in Pike County, Mo., a region

Fic. 5.—Harvesting wheat with a header. Forty-seven per cent of the total winter wheat acreage
included in the study was harvested with a header. Courtesy of Kansas State Board of Agriculture.

of abundant rainfall. No appreciable amount of reseeding was neces-
sary except in PawneeCounty, Kans., where 2.2 percent of the planted
acreage was reseeded. ‘This reseeding was caused by a lack of mois-
ture at planting time, which resulted in considerable soil blowing.
(Table 8.)

Binder twine.—The average binder-twine requirements were in-
fluenced mainly by the quantity of straw per acre and varied from
about 1.5 pounds per acre in Pike County, Mo., to 2.5 pounds in Gar-
field County, Okla. The average requirement for all acreage cut
with the binder was 2.24 pounds per acre. (Table 8.)

Commercial fertilizer—Commercial fertilizer was not used on any
farms visited except in Pike County, Mo., where 93 per cent of the
men interviewed used commercial fertilizer covering 92 per cent of the
entire wheat acreage. The quantity applied ranged from 100 to 200
pounds with an average application of 151 pounds per acre. (See

Table 8.)

12

BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

TABLE 8.— Material requirements, winter wheat, 1920.

State and county.

Missouri:
Pike County.-----—--e- <- -
Carroll: County 2-222 -5 35--
Nebraska:
Gace Wounigesescsese ee
Olay Countyee 2225) -cee-:
Cheyenne County .....--..-
Kansas:
—homas County... -------
McPherson County......--
Pawaee County... -------—
Oklahoma:
Garfield County........_--
Woodward County..------

Adil Mars: ce -cetcc ee

Seed.
Percent-| Bushels
age of | per acre
acreage (one

reseeded.|seeding).
0.1 1.30

LD 1.23

1 1.28

4 1,21

See ease Stht
-3 74

Sp Ne eae 1. 06
Dw, 94

32 1.07

1.0 - 87

aif -95

Manure
Binder twine. and | Commercial fertilizer.
sttaw. |
Percent- Percent-| Percent-| Percent-
age of age of | ageof | ageof | Pounds
acreage pounds farmers | farmers| total per
cut with|P ‘| report- | report- | acreage | acre.
binder. ing.t ing. | covered.
100 1.49 51 93 92 151
100 2. 20 AG beset eet ee
100 2.35 5) bse s5545 ee eras er a Se
100 2.41 AQ 2.22 eee eee
77 2.22 Ei eerste resi sores ta a
6| 2.45 13: lo eee eee
82 2.03 0 Bd pets [are ee aes SL Soe
15 2.47 y 2 Oat Een pe eae) Pate es Se | Sh eee As
87 2.49 BO eos aa eee | Ses eee ie
6 1.89 CY (A ee meene [Senne ie | Seeecees
49| 2.94 39 il riety
|

applied only on selected parts of the wheat field the rate of application was not determined

OTHER COST FACTORS. —

1 A relatively large percentage of the men interviewed used some manure and straw, but since it was

Taxes and insurance.—On owned land, the percentage that the
investment in wheat land is of the total investment in real estate,
livestock, and equipment represents the proportion of the total real

Fic. 6.—Harvesting wheat with a harvester-thresher or combine.

Four per cent of the total winter
wheat acreage included in the study was harvested with a combine.

estate taxes and insurance that has been charged to the wheat land,
the insurance and personal tax on livestock and equipment being
carried indirectly through the overhead charge.
land taxes and building insurance were paid by the landlord. Taxes
and insurance on livestock and equipment paid by the renter have
been charged indirectly, wheat receiving its proportionate share

through the overhead charge.

The special cro

On rented farms

insurance includes

fire insurance on stacked and stored grain, and hail insurance on the
growing crop. . (See Table 9.)
Use cost of tractor.—The annual farm use cost of tractors includes

repairs, fuel, oil, and depreciation.

This yearly farm cost divided

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. 18

by the total number of hours the tractor was used during the year
gave the average hour cost of running the tractor. The number of
hours the tractor was used in wheat production, multiplied by the
cost per hour, gave the total tractor use cost chargeable to wheat.
(See Table 9.)

Use cost of general farm machinery.—The items comprising the
total charge for use of general farm machinery include depreciation
and the annual repairs expended in maintaining this equipment.
The total annual charge for its use has been prorated to the pro-
ductive crop and livestock enterprises on the farm in proportion
to the number of horse hours of work required for their production
and maintenance. Where farm machinery was hired for use in
producing the wheat crop the actual cash paid out was charged.
(See Table 9.)

Loss due to abandoned wheat acreage.—On many farms a portion of
the seeded acreage was not harvested because the crop was either
totally destroyed or so badly damaged that it was not worth cut-
ting. In Clay County, Nebr., Pawnee County, Kans., and Wood-
ward County, Okla., over 50 per cent of the growers interviewed
reported some abandoned wheat acreage. [Expressed in percentage
of total acreage seeded, the abandoned acreage in these counties was
as follows: Clay County, 15 per cent; Pawnee County, 19 per cent;
Woodward County, 26 per cent. All costs for labor, seed, manure,
use of land unless recropped, taxes and insurance, etc., expended on
this abandoned acreage make up the charge for loss due to aban-
doned wheat acreage. When pastured, credit has been given for the
value of the pasture consumed. The total cost of abandoned acreage
in the region divided by the acreage harvested is the average aban-
doned acreage cost per ad acre. (See Table 9.)

Overhead.—Those miscellaneous overhead expenses which are a
part of every productive crop and livestock enterprise, but which are
so general that they can not be charged directly to any one single
farm enterprise, have been grouped and prorated to the wheat account
and other productive enterprises on these farms in proportion to the
direct expense for labor, materials, and threshing required by each.
This miscellaneous expense includes such items as interest and taxes
on barn lots and fence rows, and labor and cash expense for building
and fence maintenance.

The total amount of the overhead expense as determined on rep-
resentative wheat farms in those districts where corn and oats are
rotated more or less regularly with wheat, namely, Missouri, and Gage
and Clay Counties, Nebr., shows that this expense amounts to approxi-
mately 12 per cent of the combined value of the labor, materials, and
threshing costs. In all other districts where the type of farming is
less diversified and wheat production constitutes by far the largest
single enterprise on the farm, the overhead is equivalent to approxi-
mately 15 per cent of the combined labor, material, and threshing
costs. (See Table 9.)

Interest on investment.—An interest rate of 6 per cent on the invest-
ment was used for the two Missouricounties and Gage County, Nebr., and
7 per cent was used for all other counties. Because of lower land val-
ues in Thomas and Pawnee Counties, Kans., and Woodward County,
Okla., interest on investment in wheat land in these counties is con-
siderably lower than in the other counties studied. (See Table 9.)

14

BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

TABLE 9.—Other cost factors, winter wheat, 1920.

= « ]
Special crop insurance. | T z
sthesand eocnegs | ouomaes i apna
SESE OTE land, aver- | Percentage | Average | Tore pop | Percentage) pate ner
agecostper| offarms (cost per acre) Hoe fea of farms |}, oe ae 2
acre. reporting. | insured. *| reporting. a
Missouri:
Pike County. 22.-22c-_--<=5] $0. 51 22 $0. 14 $0. 061 4 $0. 76
Carroll County 2224 -=--2s-- 54 46 . 30 . 054 19 1.23
Nebraska:
Gave Couneye- so. ase e . 96 35 .40 . 054 5 1. 89
Clay County — ees. 25 22222 if 50 35 . 046 3 1. 88
Cheyenne County...-.-.-.- . 40 74 1.64 . O81 71 1. 88
Kansas:
Thomas County.- === 5... 24 81 .718 . 064 26 2.14
McPherson County.-...-..- . 98 49 23 . 062 35 | 1.97
Pawnee County.........-- 70 81 91 . O81 33 | 2.53
Oklahoma: -
Garfield County. .-.-...--... . 82 | 37 . 43 - 080 19 Daal
Woodward County. ....-- - 36 27 55} . 063 8 123
Alifarmsep 2252s ss - 55 48 - 82 . 065 21 1.98
1
| |
Loss due to abandoned : Interest on investment
acreage. | Overhead. per acre.
4 | - ee of :
State and county. - ercentage | wheat land |
y Percentage} Average | of labor, | per acre. Tractor
of seeded farnioels Wheat | and general
acreace cost per acre) materials, land. ae
Abandoned abandoned.) and han
; threshing. ee SEN
Missouri:
Pike County_—-~---2- =< ~~ 343 $15. 76 | 12 $126 $7. 59 $0. 66
Carroll Countya sss 5. NGe see ee ea Ee eee eee 12 176 | 10. 53 oy,
Nebraska: |
iGive Oounbye sesso. 8 Se 2.7 10. 43 12 233 | 14. 00 .64
@iny. County. .- 0.22. -<- 14.9 9.16 12 187 | 13.11 . 46
Cheyenne County .-.--..-- 2.3 8.29 | 15 114 | 7. 98 - 93
Kansas:
Maomas Countys---------- 4.8 6.40 15 68 | 4,74 . 36
McPherson County.......- 8 9.65 15 144 10. 05 - 58
Pawnee County..........- 19.0 8.43 15 86 6. 05 - 54
Oklahoma: i
Garfield County. ..--...--.- al 28. 68 15 123 8. 59 . $4
Woodward County. .....- 26.0 8. O01 15 40 2.79 4
Ad farms =o tease ee 9.2 8.29. 14,2 104 7. 04 -61
! 4

PRICES OF LABOR AND MATERIALS.

Man labor rate——The man labor rates as given in Table 10 are aver- —
ages of the individual month and day wage paid for farm labor at the
period at which the work was done, including board when furnished.
A labor rate based on wages paid on individual farms rather than a
- flat rate for all farms better serves to bring out the variations in labor
costs on individual farms, which in turn is reflected in the final unit
cost of wheat. The labor of the farmer and the members of his fam-
ily was charged at the rate which would have been paid had this work
been hired. Labor prior to harvesting was usually performed by the
farmer with the aid of hands hired by themonth. During the harvest-
- ing period, however, because of the scarcity of hired hands and the
transient character of the labor employed, practically all labor was
hired on a day basis at a much higher wage.

For this reason a rate has been determined for land preparation and
seeding and another rate for harvesting and marketing. The wage
paid during the harvest period. was governed mainly by the compe-

dice

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. 15

tition for farm labor at that time. Farmers in the wheat areas farther
west paid a relatively higher wage than was paid in the areas farther
east where the wheat acreage was smaller and the competition for
labor less keen.

Horse power rate——The horse power rates are flat rates for each
county studied and are based ey on farmers’ estimates and
partially on records relative to the cost of keeping horses which were
available for some of the regions in which this investigation was
made. (See Table 10.)

Seed and seed treatment.—The value of seed wheat per bushel is
an average of the estimates of individual farmers visited. Some grow-
ers bought high-grade recleaned seed and some used their farm supply
for sowing. ‘The figures given include the value of any materials used
for seed treatment. All farm-produced seed was charged at its farm-
sale value at planting time. (See Table 10.)

Manure and straw.—VThe proportion of the value of the manure and
straw that should be charged to the year in which the application is
made depends so much on the soil and other influencing factors that it
is difficult to determine, but it is apparent that there is a residual
value that should be taken into account. In the case of wheat, when
applied directly, 50 per cent of the estimated value was charged; when
applied to the crop immediately preceding, 30 per cent was charged,
and when two other crops preceded, 20 per cent was charged to the
wheat. |

The figures on manure values are the estimates of individual farm-
ers visited and would seem to indicate that its regional value depends
primarily on the amount of moisture available to make it valuable as
a plant food. The estimated values varied from an average of 51
cents per ton in Woodward County, Okla., to $2.21 per ton in Pike
County, Mo. (See Table 10.)

Commercial fertilizer.—Since the fertilizer used on wheat was of a
kind that became readily available as a plant food, the total value was
charged to the year’s crop.

The range in cost of fertilizer was from $30 to $50 per ton with an.
average cost of about $39 per ton. (See Table 10.)

TaBLE 10.—Prices of labor and materials, winter wheat, 1920.

Labor rates per hour. Materials.
Preparation Harvesting :
State and county. and seeding. |and marketing.| geeg |Binder |Manure| Fer-

pe twine and. tilizer
bushel.|__ Per straw per

Man. | Horse. | Man. | Horse. pound. jper ton.) ton.

Missouri:

ike Wout tive ear $0.27 | $0.17 | $0.46] $0.17] $2.17] $0.18 | $2.21] $39.00

CarrolliCounty: 2s see . 30 alles . 56 eile Dee) 5 eS Ise OS ieee ale
Nebraska:

Gave Countyencc 225-55 ee -32 15 55 15 2516 Salty Tei |eeeseige

ClayiCount ys ese eee eee 20 15 . 60 .15 2.15 eG Pet o\ Oi ae esta

Cheyenne County-s.-- =. -4-----.- . 50 SAl¢ . 68 li, 2. 10 .19 S04 | Sa aaeee
Kansas:

Rhomas County ee epee tere . 38 old 13 old Pee Als’ eald ESC eres es

MePherson County ............... .38 1G) . 68 51155 2. 28 . 16 BOGS asec ses

Pawnee County. 2... .524-5-.2 -<- 31 215 50) «15 2.19 -18 Di | hanes
Oklahoma:

Canfield: County= +5445 4s2e ae . 36 ald . 58 sali Pos ls} 5 ike iil Sa ee

Woodward County............... . 30 aly, . 65 SiG 2. 06 ol7/ Sill, Seer es

16 - BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

THRESHING PRACTICES AND RATES.

The proportion of the threshing crew furnished by the farmer and
by the thresherman was an influencing factor on the rate paid per
bushel for threshing. In Missouri, and in Gage and Clay Counties,
Nebr., the usual custom was for the farmer to furnish the entire
threshing crew. In these counties, under these conditions, the
average threshing rate varied from 10 cents per bushel in Gage County
to 14 cents in Clay County, Nebr. On those farms where the thresher-
man furnished the entire crew, the average rate varied from 15 cents
per bushel for headed grain in Thomas County, Kans., to 32 cents for
shock threshed grain in Carroll County, Mo. In counties where shock
threshing was practiced and the field pitchers were furnished by the
thresherman and the bundle haulers by the farmer, the threshing rate
varied from an average of 12 cents per bushel in Cheyenne County,
Nebr., to an average of 19 cents in McPherson County, Kans. (See

Table 11.)

TaBLE 11—Threshing practices and rates, winter wheat, 1920.

PREVAILING THRESHING PRACTICES.1

Part of crew furnished by— pase
a aT a ea Bap ee per acre
State and County. | Threshing done from— [2238 for
’ produc-|rate per avers
| Thresherman. “Farmer. | tion. bushel.| ( Son
| | farms).
Missouri: 5 | ae
Pike County. ..... poe See ee Pea ene AN. 232 Sta 98} $0.12 $1.61
. HOEK. 5. Sas Se as TS ee Ree JAE 2 68 =42
Carroll County .--- (Shock Te he yi be eee ee bigs Sy epee tes | 23 32 | 2. 80
Nebraska:
Gage County--...- Shock: Rost CS, eee ee 6 ee a in eee 95 10 2. 28
biShoe ke 26) as be a es ee ALS. ee 86 14} —
Clay County .....- (stack (bundle grain)». __- SoM ee Bees 1 14 I 1.75
Cheyenne County Shock --20-| al | oo] ay
Kansas:
Thomas County... -| Sick (reader eran). | oAN 2 oo 2. ee ee er eee 94 aS 2.10
: {shocks eee Field pitchers.| Bundle haulers 46 =#9-|
McPherson Coun- |!Stack (bundle grain).-| All. ..-.....--. | cave eee, 33} i7\t os
ae (Stack (headed grain)..} All...........- eee See ee 19 eSB | ie
Pawnee County...| Stack (headed grain)..| All... aeai| Soir ee ers ga} 117 | 2. 34
Oklahoma:
Shoek#:5.--4 3 eee PAS Se Se ee eee ee eee 63 .3l
Garfield County---'\Shoek. 1222222222227 Field pitchers. Bundle haulers 15. ee \ 4.33
Woodward County! Stack (headed grain)-.} All........5...).........-.----- $1 - 22 2. 03

1 Inevery case the thresherman furnished the crew for operating the separator and engine and the farmer
furnished the men and horses for taking care of the threshed grain.
CREDITS.

The value of the items which have been reported as a credit result-
ing from the use or sale of wheat straw, the pasturing of the growing
crop, and insurance received for losses to the wheat crop by fire or
hail damage, is given in Table 12.

A majority of the farmers considered the straw of little money
value and often only that portion needed for bedding was saved.
The remainder was left to rot or was burned in stacks im the field.

The highest credits for straw occurred in Pike and Carroll Counties,
Mo., where the acreage of wheat per farm was relatively small and
the amount of livestock per farm relatively large, requiring a con-
siderable amount of straw for the use of this stock Only a limited
acreage of growing wheat was pastured and in only six instances was
insurance received for losses by fire or hail damage. The average
total credit was small, amounting to only 43 cents per acre.

‘COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. 17.

TABLE 12.—Credits per acre, winter wheat, 1920.
(216 OWNED FARMS.)

|Special crop
State and county. Straw. Pasture. | insurance Total.
received.
Missouri:
YEAH ECS) COLT Ba Rye aa ae ee $1. 00 SOS O09 se el eee eee $1. 09
Carroll Count yea fs sy R Sea ees Sas He .59 eile aval a deme tees .71
Nebraska:
Gag eC out yates es cee Se asian eee eee oe eee gears ae savy pel kl Lh oe a ct 48
Clava County Sa aha Se eae he -16 OBniteizr Acer res .19
Cheyenne: Coumtbypess ee ee ee eee cee . 06 . 04 $0. 20 . 30
Kansas:
MHOMAasCounbymesaesae hse cei ccs se ae ini 5 1183 LDA hee ee Velen orl
MciehersonkCountWes: soca eee ote ee ace Au [are a a elie Bee SB 8 .10
Pawnee: County tees sae ee ane ee ares See EL eects “15 54 . 69
Oklahoma:
GarhieldiC ountyentens oe. eee ee See ok .10 Mica Se RS Ree vA . 26
WroodwandiCouniverane ese ec ee eee eee eeeaees 5 ila} AAS Meee esa © ere .34
UHRA Ben SHe apGecup anes GSCe Sates See aes oeaESeee .18 all .10 BAS

SUMMARY OF AVERAGE COSTS BY TENURE.

The wheat land classified on the basis of tenure shows that the
owner and share rent systems are the only tenure systems found on
the farms visited. In Missouri the one-half share rental system pre-
vailed. In all other areas except Gage County, Nebr. where the
three-fifths share rental system was common, the two-thirds share
system predominated. .

Under the one-half share rental method the usual custom was for
the landlord to maintain the buildings and fences, to furnish the
planting seed and to pay all of the real estate taxes and half of the
_ threshing expense. He received half of the wheat produced. The
tenant furnished all work stock and equipment and paid all other
operating expenses. In Pike County the landlord usually paid for all
the fertilizer. Where the landlord received one-third or two-fifths
of the crop, with very few exceptions he maintained the buildings
and fences and paid the land tax, and the tenant-operator furnished
all work stock and equipment and paid all other cash operating expense.

The costs are based on the 1920 yields for the farms visited. The
average acre cost of each item of expense is a weighted average
computed by dividing the total cost of each item by the total har-
vested wheat acreage. This method results in a relatively low
regional cost per acre for those items of expense that do not apply
to the entire acreage, as is illustrated in the case of binder twine on
the owner farms in Thomas County, Kans., where only 6 per cent of
the harvested acreage was cut with a binder, resulting in an average
cost for binder twine of only 1 cent per acre.

The data have been itemized by districts so that the cost of any
one item can be readily compared one district with another, and, in
order that the relative importance of all related cost items may be
readily appreciated, theseitems for each district have been grouped to-
gether underfour headings: Labor, materials, threshing, and othercosts.

The cost has been determined, excluding all interest charges to
show the net operating expense, as well as the net cost, including
interest as a cost item.

An analysis of the total operating expense by counties for all
winter wheat produced on owned land (see Table 13) shows that labor
constitutes about 42 per cent; materials, 14 per cent; threshing, 13
per cent; and other costs, 31 per cent of the total operating expense.

59728°—24——_3

18 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

With interest included, the division was as follows: Labor, 30 per
cent; materials, 10 per cent; threshing, 9 per cent; interest, 29 per
cent; and other costs, 22 percent. The average net operating expense
was $1.25 per bushel, varying from an average of $0.90 in Thomas

County, Kans., to an average of $1.96 in Woodward County, Okla. ~

With interest on equipment and land included, the average net cost
per bushel was $1.80 with a variation of from $1.26 in Thomas
County, Kans., to $2.57 in Clay County, Nebr.

The operating expense per acre to tenant-operators (Table 14)
was relatively lower than to owner-operators, because in some coun-
ties, more especially in the two Missouri counties, a part of the
“materials”? and ‘‘other costs’’ items were paid by the landlord.

On the other hand, because the cost to the tenant operator was
based on his share of the cost divided by his share of the crop, the
operating expense per bushel was relatively higher to tenants than
to owners. In all counties except Pike County, Mo., and Cheyenne
County, Nebr., the expense for labor was slightly greater for tenant
than for owner operators. The percentage distribution on tenant
farms was about the same as on ownedfarms. For all tenant farms
the average net cost per bushel was $1.83 as compared with a net
cost per bushel of $1.80 on owned farms.

In a study of the average costs on owned and on rented land it
should be kept in mind that many of the cost items are noncash.
Studies of the cost of producing wheat in other regions indicate that
about 50 per cent of the cost of producing an acre of wheat is repre-
sented by money actually paid out.

TaBLE 13.—Summary of average net cost per acre and per bushel to owner operators,
winter wheat, 1920.
(216 owned farms.)

Missouri. Nebraska.
Items. Pike Carroll -Gage Clay Cheyenne
County. County. County. |- County. County.
Average yield per acre (bu.).--.......-..-- AES 17.6 21.5 13.1 19.0
Operating expense per acre:
Labor and power—
Prepare land and seed—
Man labor......-. Sue kee mae $1. 99° $1.94 $1.77 $1.57 $1. 02
F¥orse POWe?: . 2.4... 5-2-5223. 3. 69 3.93 3. 30 3. 08 . 61
Contracklaborkce so. snc. seke sacl eceee eens BOS ih Seeaeasoeaee . 06 .79
Harvest and market—
Mara bone aaee es eae Beier. 3. 54 4,81 4, 83 3. 83 2. 83
IETOLSE POWels a. soe e noe ace Se 1.64 19 1, 82 1.45 1.00
Contractlabor-Var2.223=- 2: 25- - 08 - 08 <063\25-<5:6 see S98"
Material costs—
Sed eas eee ae? ee oes 2. 86 2.65 2.73 250 1. 67
iIBINGerRWIMNC= ooo sas se ee cee . 30 .32 .41 .38 . 30
Manure and (Straws-cc..csss-s2+ eae - 95 -39 . 36 ~ 20 . 09
MICHGHHIZCT S444 42S ae Ft es Sees oe 2:65 |eciecass Se) Shee Ss Sass pee eee eee
PRNTESHIN Geers sae et esr oo. cans awe 1.61 2. 80 2. 28 TE 1.78
Other costs—
WaxeQan@dInNSuranGe. =. <4. -ceses eee ol . 54 . 96 aA . 40
Special cropinsurance............. - 09 . 16 . 20 ~27 SS:
Use ofgeneralfarm machinery..... 2. 25 2. 44 212. 1. 26 2. 37
Use oftractor and combine........ . 29 528! LO esa aa 2. 50
Loss on abandoned acreage..-....- OOH Ser Sewer . 08 1.33 .18
Overheddeer os. acne we ease ee 2. 26 2. 25 2. 06 1.74 1. 54
AROLAI SR Cees Seen ee eno ae 25. 40 24.78 23. 08 20. 22 18. 64
Credit se ee see erates maces 1.09 7A . 48 .19 . 30
Net operating expense:
BLACKER Ee horse ee aeons senate cee 24, 31 24, 07 22. 60 20. 03 18. 34
IR CrDUSNE sates as eee eae eee 1. 81 1. 36 1. 05 1. 54 96
Interest on investment:
Land and machinery .-.-...-...----- eens 285255 11.30 14. 64 13. 57 8.91
Net cost,including interest:
IPCracre 2 ciety eo ee ane eens _ 32. 56 35. 37 37. 24 33. 60 27.425
Peribushelec. 3226 ee eee 2.41 2. 01 fhe Peay! 1.43

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS.

19

TABLE 13.—Summary of average net cost per acre and per bushel to owner operators,
winter wheat, 1920—Continued.

Kansas.

McPher-

Per
cent
of op-
erating
cost.

Oklahoma.
; All
winter
Pawnee | Garfield Wels wheat.
iene County. County.

12.1 18.4 9.5 14,9
cy Caco ple ban $0.87| $1.53] - $1.51 | $1.24
1.45 2. 60 2. 38 2.01

See eee {OG ss Se 5 le
eee Oro eel, CANN Co OLalh Gael ERO
1.09 1.09 1.38 1, 23

047 slat .09 OD
Oy 2 5345 leet Le al).

. 06 .35 O01 .18

. 04 . 08 . 06 16

Ae tee eer | ee me 18

2. 34 4, 33 2. 03 2. 50
Oe Re Ou cat a ey aes 55.

OO . 09 SOA .38

5945) 2. 28 1.20 1.62

+24 50) a) . 60

2.47 N02 3.38 . 94
1.78 2. 28 Sag 1. 86

18. 72 21.38 18. 93 19. 08

. 69 . 26 34 . 43

18. 03 PALM 18. 59 18. 65

1. 49 nS 1.96 1.25

6. 59 9. 43 By 3 7.65

24. 62 30. 55 21. 82 26. 30

2. 03 1.66 2. 30 1. 80

Items.
Thomas
County
Average yield per acre (bu.)...-..- 14.1
Operating expense per acre:
Labor and power—
Prepare land and seed....|..........
Manvlaboresssassesooe $0. 49
Horse power-........- - 80
Contract labor........ Goal
Hanvestandunanketees = saios sce oe
Miamila bone seeaceeice 2. 53
Horse power.........- 1.08
Contract labor.......- 1.08
Ma terialicostSeteae ree cena ices oe
SGC CR Sear ere MN Oe eee 1.59
IBINdembLWiINeses. J cs-eee ae 01
Manure and straw........ Ol
Fertilizer
ERAT eS Spee eee seas 2.10
OPIMCRICOS (Sees ree orca ais | noe eis al rH eal re ae Se
Taxes and insurance. ..... . 24
Special crop insurance.-.. . 49
Use of general farm ma-
Chineny Asteraceae 5 Uk
Use of tractor and com-
Oe aA See eno tem een . 28
Loss on abandoned acre-
Cateye) pa BW ae
Overhead dase sic eee 1.48
TNO Gal a-prime set 13. 10
Cre Gils ern Sar en ee all
Net operating expense:
PR OTHACh Casts nore ee ee WP, 083
Retr bushel jecnaeccrenie cee .90
Interest on investment:
Land and machinery........-.. 5.10
Net cost, including interest:
J EXSY Soc ae eS ts a 17. 83
ets uUSh Clee eee ee eee 1. 26

ste ce ece

20 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

TABLE 14.—Summary of average net cost per acre and per bushel to tenant operators,
winter wheat, 1920.

(251 rented farms).

Missouri. Nebraska.

Items.
Pike Carroll Gage Clay Cheyenne
County. County. County. County. County.
Average yield per acre (bu)...--...-.-.----- 10.6 18. 2 17.8 10.5 16.2
Henant shareot yield (bu) s=-se- a= see 5. 6 10. 2 10.8 7.0 10.4
Operating expenses per acre:
Labor and power—
Prepare land and seed—
Manilaboreea eres see oe sees $2. 01 $1. 86 $1. 52 $1. 24 $0. 89 |
ETOLSe}DOW Clase eer tee eee 4, 03 3. 08 2. 76 2. 45 - 29}
Contractila bons sae es ee eee - 09 320°) eee - 28. |
Harvest and market— H
IMamlaborses Sateen a eee 2.60 4, 05 4.00 3.45 3240
IFVOTSO\ OWED st aacec me a esac ee 1. 29 1.36 1.62 1.41 -92 |
Contract labor........ nage eee 15 - 03 - 06 - O01 - 43 |
Material costs— k
Sie (eto EC ee Se! ene. eee 1. 06 1, 22 2. 22 2.64 1350;
AMANO, een Se tees Fee ee gery 22 - 40 42 39 32.
Manureland straw: .2-----+-2--e- . 28 .12 22 - 09 -O1
Henitlizenzestr ence ene ec ce eee oy (is ee ees Man eee Pere ser raise ke :
PRD TES es Ae aes ee eee eens 1. 21 3. 12 1. 94 1.61 1. 50 |
Other costs— :
Taxesiand INSULANCES..2 3225322 Ss ae Ss see ce se| soe bee Se See clan ae ee ee ae ee eee ieee eee
Special crop insurance-...........- -OL . 16 sit 13 1.31
Use of general farm machinery... -.- 1.78 1.61 1. 92 1.45 1.06
Use of tractor and combine. -...... eSncasncgse 1,14 20 16 2. 84
Loss on abandoned acreage..-....-- SOOdE eee eee 239 1.54 23
Over heade st. a5 ee eee eee 1.59 1.79 Semel 7 1. 56 1
ER OG ae seein rope tere ese Siete es 17. 37 20. 03 19. 37 18.13 | 16. 56
WEEGIES Soars a este ne hee ee ome 58 31 24 17 1.12 |
Net operating expense:
1 EXETD CVG eS 5s Res aie a rs ai NI a 16.79 19. 72 19.13 17. 96 15. 44 |
Ber bushel 2a fie. 22 S55 ae tes oe ee 3. O01 - 1.95 US 70 2-56 1.48 |
Interest on investment: :
IMBch IN Chyaemsce see et oat eee 47 . 64 .o3 . 46 69 |
Net cost including interest:
Ponacres seas 2 been, hee ee 17. 26 20. 36 19. 66 18, 42 16. 13 |
IRers bushel Se ee 2 Oe oe eee 3.09 2.00 1. 82 |. 2.63 1.54 |

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS.

21

TaBLE 14.—Summary of average net cost per acre and per bushel to tenant operators,
winter wheat, 1920—Continued.

Icansas.

Oklahoma.

All

Per
cent of

Item. Woods winter | operat-
Thomas | McPherson] Pawnee | Garfield renal wheat.| ing
County. | County. | County. | County. Coun. cost.
Average yield per acre (bu)....... 13. 2 12.3 12.3 17.8 11.1 PACS eee
Tenant share of yleldi@om)seecs--- 8.7 8. 2 8. 2 11.5 7.6 Ose dae
Operating expense per acre:
Labor and power—
Preparellamdiamdiseedis <a |2 cccmste scree reisversteraie cieverai|s tele ioicis <iocie love latereraiete ee llsieterere si cielerel lee elaveisiere 17.0
MamiWaboteceesssece oe $0. 49 $1. 36 $0. 70 $1. 50 SL 29 71 F SL098| Seen
Horse power.......... 75 1.75 1. 24 2.32 2. 33 LO 9s eee
Contract laher........ OAT eee Sates: - 20 PUA tere tee LOI tee wciees
IEAVESRCHOGhionehd ¢hea ee ane Gene ISAS coo oenGl ls Soea Genes lcuoaneras sondoane so acunaoes 26.8
Mani alboreeeeneseaaee 2. 81 3. 04 2. 98 2. 54 2. 53 BE Lee eats
Horse power.......... .93 94 . 96 1. 00 1.15 PAO Sees
Contract labor........ . 55 . 03 . 52 . 16 Se 500! le oceeees
IMS ECTIAINCOS CS eee ee eee treoa| Rare are inte s bille cree le eestor cll Gee Berar all Ye -tciete oui etere eerie eiis Semmes 12.6
COUMe eae eae oe Ns er ee LOY 2.38 1. 94 2.11 1.49 Pete Sea
INWAM CWS Ra ere Seton ce . 02 - 28 07 Bh aoe anaes 23) eee
Manure and straw........ 01 . 09 - 02 . 08 07 JOG Heese
MOn Ze eee ae ck Peeve cers | Reed ynpeerlia rat aaa cig Jee ete Le i ad ae teas SU Scoseds
MhreshiniG Sean see 1.79 2. 05 2.40 4, 50 2733 2.30 13.9
(OBE F OOS O LS os Glace Sats SOE AS sect ciel Ese eerrsan esl he Aeceicets 7 es een Sead ieee eet ye 29.7
TaxesianadHMSuramce ss. ge |v cscs ee cies we wees cee steam tllaeis seis cae ol Pee se mer ichal cise eeatnel oceans
Special crop insurance... . .70 .12 . 88 15 . 04 wOQueteee
Use of general farm mach-
11) 0X5) i /ottant Re re en . 94 1. 24 99 1.67 1. 07 TN 25 ate Beer
Use of tractor and combine 45 1.57 ~39 SOP ae ee ee DCO Les eee
Loss on abandoned acreage 49 . 03 EG ee eee oak . 86 CASS Sneocere
Overhead... 5:...22.-.2-- 1.34 1.78 1.65 2. 20 1.71 DG Age renee
WPotal aire sete lec 12.78 16. 66 16. 05 19. 55 15.03 | 16.62 100. 0
Creditshe cist ade ee . 09 - 03 . 86 .27 34 AMEE ea ee
Net operating expense
PCH ACTO eee ae oe eee 12.69 16.63 15. 19 19. 28 145697) AGS 153) h ee eee
Reribusheleks. Gayle ees oss 1.47 2. 03 1. 86 1.68 1. 94 b 7 A nl eee
Interest on investment:
Machinery.......... Soca aera o 48 .62 .43 aD nou) SOOM ia sees
Net cost including interest:
POMAChO sherri se soe 13.17 17, 25 15. 62 20. 03 15.04} 16.71 ]........
Rer bushel’: s2sss9ac-c oes 1.51 25 Ml 1.91 1.75 1. 98 183. |e

A COMPARISON OF COSTS IN REGIONS OF WIDELY
DIFFERENT LAND VALUES.

That a fairly direct relation exists between the average regional

value of wheat land and the average operating expense per acre 1s
shown in Table 15. Generally speaking, the regions of high land
values and high operating costs are regions of high yields. The
tendency for the several cost factors comprising the total operating
expense to increase as land values became higher was most pronounced
in the case of labor and materials. The expense per acre for labor
in the regions having the highest land values was about 50 per cent
greater than in the regions with the lowest land values.

The relatively high | acre cost in Woodward County, Okla., a region
of comparatively low land values, was due mainly to an abandoned
wheat acreage charge of $3.38 per acre,

99 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

TABLE 15.—Relation of average wheat land values to the average operating expense and
average net cost per acre by counties, winter wheat, 1920.

(152 owned farms).

| Aver- Operating expense per acre. Net
age cost
Nat value per
State and county. ber of | _° Aban- _ acre
) . | wheat includ-
farms. | Yand | Labor. |,Ma-_ | doned |Thresh-) other. | Total. | ing
per - age 8: inter-
acre : eStz
Oklahoma:
Woodward County...-.. 28 $40} $7.88] $1.85 | $3.38 | $2.03 | $3.79 | $18.93 | $21.82
Kansas: :
Thomas County, --s--22-| 19 68 6.19 LGUs le See 2.10 3: 205) S210 17. 83
Pawnee County. ...-....| 15 86 7.24 2.37 2.47 2. 34 4.30 | 18.72 24.62
Nebraska:
Cheyenne County.......- 18 114 6. 48 2.06 .18 1.78 8.14 | 18.64 27.25
Oklahoma:
- Garfield County..-....... 31 123 8.07 Qe .02 4, 33 6.19 | 21.38 30. 55
Kansas:
McPherson County.....- ill 144 8.47 2: 90G|Haaee ee DES 5.14 | 19.09 29. 62
Nebraska:
ClayiCounty2224-------2- 13 187 9.99 3.15 1.33 1.75 4.00 | 20.22 33. 69
Gage Countyin= 5-5. 535. 2- 17 233 | 11.78 3. 50 - 08 2. 28 5.44 | 23.08 37. 24
} 1

VARIATION IN NET COST PER ACRE.

All owned farms have been classified by counties in Table 16
according to the net cost per acre in order to indicate the number
of farms and the percentage of acreage and total production that
fall within the several acre-cost groups. This classification shows
that approximately 49 per cent of all farms, 42 per cent of the har-
vested acreage, and 47 per cent of the total production, fall within
the $25 to $35 cost group. The number of farms in each of the
other two groups was about the same, approximately 25 per cent
having costs of under $25, and 26 per cent having costs of $35 and
over per acre. However, the wheat acreage per farm was much
larger on the farms having a cost of under $25, than on the farms
with costs per acre of $35 and over.

The average cost for all owner operators was $26.30 per acre.
Approximately 34 per cent of these operators grew about 59 per
cent of the harvested acreage and produced 50 per cent of the total
production, at or below the average cost per acre. The range in
cost per acre for individual farms was from $13.49 to $54.86. The
farm with the lowest cost was in Woodward County, Okla., and had
a very low labor expense, and alow charge for interest on investment.
On the other hand, the farm with the highest cost, which was in
Pike County, Mo., had a relatively high expense for fertilizer, inter-
est on investment and: an abandoned acreage charge for over half of
the seeded acreage.

Seventy-eight per cent of the farms with costs of under $25 per
acre were located in Thomas and Pawnee Counties, Kans., and
Woodward County, Okla. Ninety-five per cent of the farms in
Thomas County were in this cost group. ‘The interest on investment,
use cost of machinery, and the charge for loss due to abandoned
wheat acreage, were relatively low for these farms.

Of the farms having costs of from $25 to $35 per acre, 46 per cent
were located in Pike County, Mo., and Garfield County, Okla. Sixty-

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. 98

four per cent of the farms in Pike County, and 74 per cent in Gar-
field County, fall within this cost group.

A comparison of the first two cost groups in Table 17 shows that,
of the relative increase in the various items in the second, over
those in the first cost group, labor and power and interest on invest-
ment are the items showing the greatest increase. The increase in
material costs for the farms in the second group was due mainly to
a cost for commercial fertilizer of $2.65 per acre in Pike County,
Mo., the only region where commercial fertilizer was applied to the
wheat land.

Sixty-eight per cent of the farms with costs of $35 and over were
in the two Missouri counties and in Gage County, Nebr. These farms
are located in regions of relatively high land values and here again
the increase in the items of cost was most pronounced in the case of
labor and power and interest on investment together with the aban-
doned acreage charge.

TABLE 16.— Variation in net cost per acre by counties, winter wheat, 1920.

(216 owned farms.)

Number of farms with an acre cost
of—
Total
State and county. number of
Under $25.| $25 to gas. | 883and | ‘37™S:
: > me over.
Missouri:
Pe Pike Coun byes a araanetenie aye a el eA Dae NA rae 2 25 12 39
CarnolliCoumby eae ae es SE ye Serco beie 1 : 11 13 25
Nebraska:
Gace Coumbyeete ces cane ee ol Ho ia se See raicietel| welewe seicieieinie 4 13 17
Cla vaC Ou yaa eee eee ee ese inise oa re mcis |scicrcjarstere\siais.s § 5 13
Cheyenne County.....----..-.- eget ot ley et NE ah 4 12 2 18
Kansas:
PVOMaASIC outs sees pest vs ee et wea Ne 18 1 aa cesta 19
MciBhersons@ onm byes tania ee see ererere Py 8 1 11
IRawmee Counibye ws sere es i ree NS NORE Ges as 10 4 1 15
Oklahoma:
Garhi el GEC Oui tayas ete tae ats oe ots A Se 3 23 5 31
WioodwardiCountyeessgeeeose ee ee ea 15 9 4 28
TM Oval Beis rsa e ob sis sesiee oe hee onan wie eects 55 105 56 216
percentage ontotal farms. asccm a. se cce sete cae eee oe 25. 5 48. 6 25. 9 100. 0
Cumulative percentage of totalfarms............-.-.-. 25. 5 TACT TOOR OR Eee ae ees
Percentage of harvested acreage ......--...------------- 44.5 42.0 1305) 100. 0
Cumulative percentage of harvested acres -....-.....--- 44.5 86. 5 LOOHON Ee oe
Percentage of total production ............-....-------- 37. 4 46. 5 16. 1 100. 0
Cumulative percentage of total production ...-.......-. 37.4 83. 9 EO |sascoosaceds

TaBLE 17.—Distribution of items of cost, by cost per acre groups, winter wheat, 1920.

(216 owned farms.)

Cost per acre. |

Aver- Total

A ii Bee ‘A Credit vee
et cost per acre. ero yie ban- |Interest er Ea
farms. | (bu- a Mate- | doned | onin- Oth Total eee cost per

shels). ae rials. | acre- | vest- cE: Pee Bene:

I” : age. | ment. <

Watder.$255.- seen ae 55 12.5 | $7.09 | $1.89 | $0.35 | $5.20) $5.47 | $20.00 | $0.50] $19.50
WWANUOCBHHRAS one ea as= 105 16.5 9. 08 3. 04 . 84 9.00 7.80 | 29.76 » 34 29. 42
$35 and over......... 56 17.8} 12. 04 Be ae Bx AL |S ils G8) 8.90 | 39.48 - 46 39. 02

All farms... .. 216 14.9 8. 61 2. 62 94 7.65 6.91 | 26.73 43 26. 30

94 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
VARIATION IN NET COST PER BUSHEL.

The array of farms with respect to variation in net cost per bushel
by counties (Table 18) shows that the $1 to $2 and the $2 to $3
sroups are of about equal importance in McPherson and Pawnee
Counties, Kans., while in the two Missouri counties and in Woodward
County, Okla., the number of farms with a cost of from $2 to $3 per
bushel predominated. Of the 72 farms represented, in the $2 to
$3 group, 26 per cent were in Pike County, Mo., 18 per cent in Carroll
County, Mo., and 17 per cent in Woodward County, Okla. Fifty

er cent of the farms with costs of $4 and over per bushel were in
Pike County, Mo. Of all farms, 53 per cent were in the $1 to $2
group, 33 per cent in the $2 to $3 group and 8 per cent in the $3 to
$4 group. Of the total acreage, 66 per cent was in the $1 to $2
croup, 26 per cent in the $2 to $3 group, and 4 per cent in the $3 to
$4 group. Of the total production, 97 per cent was in the two low-
est cost groups.

These relations are more striking when a comparison is drawn be-
tween the total number of farms, total acreage, and total production
in the first two cost groups, which is as follows: Variation in cost, $1
to $2; percentage of allfarms, 53; percentage of acreage, 66; percent-
age of production, 76; $2 to $3 group, percentage of all farms, 33;
percentage of acreage, 26; percentage of production, 21.

TABLE 18.—Variation in net cost per bushel by counties, winter wheat, 1920.

(216 owned farms.)

Net cost per bushel.
$1 to $2. $2 to $3. $3 to $4. $4 and over.
eand county. | |
SEIS : Per Per Per Per Pe Per Per Per
Num- | cent- Ker Num- | cent set Num- | cent- cee Num- | cent- sete
her of |age of oer ber of lage of aes ber of lage of|*8© ©) ber of lage of as e
farms.| acre- E farms.| acre- d farms.| acre- d farms.| acre- Q is
: ave. eas age. | gue age. | UC age. | uC
tion. © tion tion ‘| tion.
rae ee ee ee)
Missouri: |
Pike County...... Wale AT Os 19] 58] 60] 7|_ ASP Sg 6} 10 5
Carroll County -.- - 10 43 51 13 49 44 2 8 5 pon esl eB eee
Nebraska: |
Gage County.....- | 12 74) 8&1 5 26 195) cond eo ealsirt eS lal ee
Clay County ....-.- | 3 36} 49 = 23 25 4 28 19 2 13 ff
Cheyene County...) 16 94 97 1 4 2 1 2 gy ee See ee
Kansas: |
Thomas County... AOS OOR AOO ee ies 2] 2 eee [ROS [Seip asies (mes nearer rare Sf ek
McPherson
Counties: s-2"-e- 5 49 62 5 42 33 1 9 Hyg (Se es (eet |e
Pawnee County. ..| 7 42 51 7 50 AG |e ee Se oe See 1 8 3
Oklahoma:
Garfield County... 25 84 88 6 16 19) |) 25 ce Sh | Se eee eee
Woodward
County .2-.52 10 41 dl 12 46 38 3 6 6 3 ej 5
Allfarms....... 114 | 66 | 76 72| 26 | 21 18 4 2 12 4 1
| J

The variation in the cost per bushel for all farms according to
tenure is illustrated in Tables 19 and 20 and in Figures 7 and 8.

Yield per acre is the factor largely responsible for the grouping of
the farms having extremely high or low costs per bushel. The
yields for the owner-operators having costs of $1.20 or under per
bushel ranged from 12 to 31 bushels per acre. On the other hand,
those having a cost of $4 or more per bushel had yields which ranged

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. 25

from slightly less than 3 to 7 bushels per acre. The yield for tenant-
operators in the $1.20 per bushel or under cost group ranged from
12 to 25 bushels, while those with costs of $4 or over per bushel had
yields from 3 to 7 bushels per acre.

VARIATION IN NET COST PER BUSHEL OF
WINTER WHEAT TO TENANT OPERATORS :
i) 926 | :
0 4

NUMBER OF RECORDS
. 20 PRODUCTION

Wt
MMIII
x. UMMM 0
SLLLLEELLLELETIEEZELZEE
MLL LLL

enone
CI
Wy ae

(251 Tented farms.)
Fic. 7.—The average net cost per pusher for all tenant operators was $1.83 or 3 cents greater than for
owner operators. Forty-seven per cent of the tenants, producing 71 per cent of the total yield on
rented farms, had costs at or below the average.

26 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

VARIATION IN NET COST PER BUSHEL OF
WINTER WHEAT TO OWNER OPERATORS

NET COST NUMBER OF RECORDS “PER CLOF
PER BU. — = [eRe

>) —CCO ae,

YY |
CMLL
Yijjjjjjjjjppp AMAL |
Zo : i eae Ss
YT.
tiie
a

WH |
YJ;
— |

Z

(216 owned farms.

Fic. 8—The average net cost per bushel for all owner operators was $1.80. Approximately 46 per
cent ofthese operators grew about 60 per cent ofthe harvested acreage and produced 68 per cent of the
total yield on owned farms at or below the average cost per bushel.

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS.

27

TABLE 19.—Variation in net cost per oushel of winter wheat to owner-operators, 1920.
(216 owned farms.)

Net cost per bushel. !

dons eos te sobosecen||
Nooo eoerein Ss dE OSS
SoCo ar odonobootias
ea holalinlatadnli<iallmllelmliahel a |e

DNUOtTRwWHHODDNOOBRWHHODSD DUD
SeesessSoSSSSSSSSSSSSSNESSS

-1 Midpoint of class

f
Cumula- Acres. Cumula-
tive per- tive per-
Number | centage centage
of farms. | of num- | Har. | of har-
ber of | Seeded. Jocteq. | vested
farms. | * | acreage.
4 1.9 420 420 2.2
8 5.6 1,190 1,190 8.6
6 8.3 1,580 1,580 16.9
8 12.0 1,198 1,198 23. 3
7 15.3 648 648 26. 8
12 20. 8 935 934 31.7
17 28. 7 2,091 2,091 42. 8
22 38.9 1,952 1, 632 51.5
15 45.8 1, 568 1,518 59.6 |
12 51.4 1, 229 1,039 65.1
11 06.5 807 774 69. 2
20 65. 7 1,310 1, 265 75.9
7 69. 0 595 592 79. 1
4 70. 8 579 457 81.5
5 73.1 330 315 83. 2
6 75.9 573 543 86. 0
3 77.3 245 225 | 87.2
8 81.0 413 383 89.3
3 82. 4 375 190 90. 3
6 85. 2 343 317 92.0
3 86. 6 232 182 92. 9
1 87.0 20 20 93. 0
SOU ae eed U ie kasi teperesese eet lee wee aera 93. 0
1 87.5 35 35 93. 2
4 89. 4 168 166 94.1
4 91.2 208 178 95. 0
2 92.1 73 73 95. 4
J 92.6 10 10 95. 5
2 93.5 110 40 95. 7
1 94. 0 80 65 96. 0
1 94. 4 165 100 96.6
12 100. 0 1,116 644 100. 0

Cumula-
Produc: | tive pro-
(eoenel) duction
*)(bushels).

7,860 | 7,860
22565 | 30, 425
25,860 | 56, 285
21,972 | 78, 257
11,905 | 90, 162
17,144 | 107, 306
32,525 | 139, 831
28, 843 168, 674
23,087 | 191,761
15,437 | 207,198
11,590 | 218, 788
17, 062 235, 850
6,807 | 242,747
5, 860 248, 607
3602 | 252) 209
4.090 | 256, 299
2,452 | 258, 751
3,639 | 262,390
2615 | 265, 005
3,550 | 268,555
1,664 | 270,219
200 270, 419
350 270, 769
1,391 | 272, 160
1,513 | 273, 673
601 | 274, 974
100 274, 374
360 274, 734
600 |. 275, 334
900 | 276, 234
3,672 279, 906

Cumula-
tive per-
centage
of pro-
duction.

84.3

TasLE 20.—Variation in net cost per bushel of winter wheat to tenant-operators, 1920.
‘ (251 rented farms.)

Net cost per bushel.1

Number
of farms.

1.90

OorpwNwHodmnwmnaubwNHo
SSSSSSSESSSSSSS55

GN
Sooo

= ee Bee eee ee
RPWWARPOH OP RFONNDWORDOARDOCONNE

mere bob

16

Cumulative -_ |Cumulative
percentage | Production cumuiaye percentage
of number | (bushels).2 outers) >| of produc-

of farms. ; tion.4

0.4 2, 360 2, 360 0.9
1.2 1, 927 4, 287 "1.6
2.0 2, 503 6, 790 2.5
5. 2 25, 329 32, 219 11.9
9.2 11, 244 43, 363 16.0
15.5 37, 231 80, 594 29. 8
22.3 27, 238 107, 832 39. 8
29.9 25, 593 133, 425 49,3
37.5 29, 146 162, 571 60. 1
43.0 11, 091 173, 662 64. 2
50. 2 23,178 196, 840 72.7
55. 4 10, 647 207, 487 76.7
59. 0 8,477 215, 964 79. 8
61.8 6, 559 222, 523 82. 2
62.5 1,395 223, 918 82.7
66. 5 6, 815 230, 733 85. 3
70. 9 8, 419 239, 152 88. 4
72.5 2, 253 241, 405 89, 2
75.7 4, 480 245, 885 90. 9
80. 1 6, 708 252, 593 93. 3
82.5 4,783 257, 376 95.1
84.1 1, 427 258, 803 95. 6
86. 9 1, 878 260, 681 96. 3
88. 0 1,007 261, 688 96. 7
89. 2 504 262, 192 96.9
90. 8 2,675 264, 867 97.9
QO MSE Reis Als Pee ae ear 97.9
91.6 388 265, 255 98. 0
92. 4 2,115 267, 370 98. 8
92. 8 262 267, 632 98.9
93. 2 PAL 267, 849 99. 0
93. 6 | 900 268, 749 99. 3
100. 0 1, 895 270, 644 100. 0

1 Mid-point ofclass. 2 Only the tenant-operator’s share of the productionis shown in the above table.

28 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
EFFECT OF YIELD ON COST PER BUSHEL.

The cost of producing a bushel of wheat is a figure much desired by
all wheat farmers and since this cost depends so largely upon yield it
is essential to analyze the yield factor in its relation to the cost per
bushel. Here again it is desirable to study the range in yield, together
with the range in cost per bushel, since the cost per bushel based on
the average yield might be interpreted to mean that all the wheat in
a given region was produced at a loss, whereas as a matter of fact
there might be many farmers producing at a substantial profit.

The average yield per acre for the farms studied in 1920 was 14.3
bushels per acre as compared with a yield of 15.3 bushels per acre for
all United States winter wheat. (See Table 21.) Seventy per cent
of the farmers visited obtained wheat yields ranging from 7 to 19
bushels per acre; 6 per cent had yields of less than 7 bushels; and 24

NET COST
PER BU

DOLLARS
8.00
7.00
6.00
5.00
4.00
3.00

2.00

) ey ; cE —
: 2 WELDS PER AGRE , BUSHELS

Fic. 9.—Relation of yield per acre to net cost per bushel of producing wheat—1920—216 owned farms.
Each dot represents one farm, and its position indicates the yield and net cost per bushel of wheat
on thatfarm. The cost per bushel for those farmers who had a yield of from 19 to 25 bushels per acre
was 31 per cent less than for those having a yield of from 7 to 13 bushels. The average yield per acre
was 14.9 bushels.

per cent had yields of over 19 bushels per acre. Five per cent had
vields of over 25 bushels per acre.

The cost per bushel in relation to yield for a particular year may be
the cause of misleading conclusions as to the efficiency which has
been exercised in production. High costs per bushel may be due to
causes which are not a result of lack of skill in management. A
farmer may handle his crop according to approved methods of pro-
duction only to have the crop destroyed by insects, fungous diseases,
or climatic factors over which he has no control. The comparatively
low yield in Pike County, Mo., was influenced by a period of wet
weather at seeding time, followed by an infestation of the growing
crop by the Hessian fly at the beginning of warm weather in the early
spring. Chinch bugs also caused appreciable damage. In Clay
County, Nebr., heavy windstorms in the early spring followed by
damage from black rust just prior to the harvest period, were con-
tributing factors; while in Cheyenne County, Nebr., hail damage and

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. 29

rust injury were the chief causes of low yields. The experience of
wheat growers has been that if they can withstand the losses due to
occasional crop failures they may hope to realize a compensating in-
come during the good years. Were it not for a realization of these
things an exceedingly bad year might induce many farmers to go out
of the business.

The influence of yield on the cost of producing a bushel of wheat is
illustrated in Table 22 and in Figure 9. In general, as the yield per
acre increased the cost per bushel decreased. A comparison of the
cumulative percentage of harvested acreage and cumulative percent-
age of production indicates that 49 per cent of the total harvested
acreage and 35 per cent of the total production was on farms having
yields of less than the average yield per acre.

TABLE 21.—Annual wheat yields.

Percentage of total number of farms with

1920 yields per acre of—
State | County | average
Regions. aver- aver- yields

age. | age.? jon farms) tyyger 7| 7 t013 | 13 to 19 | 19 to 25 | 22 bush-
visited. | ushels. bushels. | bushels. | bushels. | ©8224

over
Bushels. | Bushels.| Bushels.

MISSOURI Bertie oes cate testes sie MAS We yavercaeayate ears wen era rees iow Gia ee cw tel niaictate iol Sebel ncevee ate: sere reese ee meee Meena
Bik er@ oumtiyarcre oars | Reon cee 1592 12.1 11.8 42.4 37.3 Sel 3.4
Carroll Coumtiyesecs soo len eee. 16.5 18.1 3.4 15.3 33. 9 30.5 16.9

Nebraska - 5. 5-2--- Su SG SAG Ba cereal sh eevece raters | ere eoal areal eae maya ceaillSiepevees cyevallfgcyctar sie rahe cence ane
Gage County....... Se ollape oeeaie 18. 4 TSRO ee ae 6.5 37. 0 43. 5 13.0
Clay County........ A [Eee ie 11.3 14.9 OIL 2 21.3 7 Un Pete
Cheyenne County........|......... 19.9 16.7 6.5 15, 2 41.3 23.9 13.1

IKXGHOGHS Sceckansseadoeauc oer TAS ee ta ey reves secrete ee ora | eaestcrele, vic) evevarerenaye eves] apeye ie eravci ane | atebonctennia Stlieeeteie aoc rore
ANnoINE\S Combat coossosoulbececooss 12.5 TC 1.6 36. 5 55. 6 (58) |b cddooace
Merhersoni@ounitys.. sera. osen eee 14.8 1D Sulsaeceeee 58. 5 31.7 7.3 2.5
leB hanes) CONAN Se5dueosoalscaocouse 12.6 12.5 4.3 55. 3 14.9 PADS Stich say ea

Oldahomaeraseceees eect ee
Garfield County : : ; 6.6 2
Woodwarda@ ounitiy see tees eee alee ae 10.7 13.0 66.7 16.6 a fl [Miser stoe te

AILEY HOON S SAN ais ape eaERe |e ty Maer eimreee on eh 14.3 5.6 35. 5 34.8 19.1 5.0

1 Ten-year average from records of the Bureau of Crop Estimates, U. S. Department of Agriculture.
2 Seven to 10 year average from records of State boards of agriculture. No data were obtainable for average
county yields in Oklahoma.

TABLE 22.—Relation of yield to cost per bushel, winter wheat, 1920.
(216 owned farms.)

Cumu-

Cumu-| lative Cumu- areas
Nutm- | Average | Acres | lative |percent-| Produc- | lative CaTite Average
Variation in yield. ber of | yield har- | acres | age of tion produc- Le e of |COSt per
farms. |(bushels).| vested.| har- har- |(bushels).| tio ae aie bushel
vested. | vested. (bushels)./" tion
acreage. ;
Under 7 bushels. ...... 11 5.4 | 1,214] 1,214 6 6, 608 6, 608 2 $3. 95
7 to 12.9 bushels....... 66 10.7 | 6,163 | 7,377 39 65, 820 72, 428 26 201
13 to 18.9 bushels...... 84 15.9 | 6,917 | 14, 294 76 | 109,870} 182, 298 65 1,72
19 to 24.9 bushels...... 43 20.8 | 3,981 | 18,275 97 82,706 | 265, 004 95 1. 46
25 bushels and over... - 12 27.1 549 | 18, 824 100 14,902 | 279, 906 100 1.37

| USE OF QUANTITY REQUIREMENTS OF LABOR AND MATERIALS IN
COMPUTING COSTS.

A knowledge of the quantity requirements of labor and materials
|makes it possible to compute approximate costs for a given year,
providing prices and yields are known. ‘Table 23 is presented as an
example to show how current rates have been applied to the quantity

30 BULLETIN 1198, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

requirements of labor and materials in computing the average regional
cost of producing winter wheat in McPherson County, Kans., for 1922.

So long as the ratio of the total costs of these quantitative require-
ments to the total operating expense remains fairly constant and
constitutes a relatively large percentage of the total operating expense,
they serve as valuable basic data for computing costs.

TABLE 23.—Estimated cost of producing winter wheat, McPherson County, Kans., 1922.

Amount | Estimated | Cost per

Items. per acre. rate. acre.
Labor:
Prepare land and seed—
Mam SHOUES Ss soos see oacarine Soca eee ee eee 4.5 $0. 20 $0.90
FEVLOESE HOMES ES 2th Ee ERE ate Sakce AM e ee ee ee 18.5 ab5 2.78
Harvest and market—
Manwhours a seee = eee rete aS aCe of eae 4.0 - 45 1.80
FEFORSEOUES Sacer See i eee or etc Se 7.5 si 1.12
Seed ebusSHelseeee: ante A ae Se a 2 Seon ee a ed 1.50 1.65
EWING POUMNGS Sat sctoht Sa emcee eee See ae eet ee ee ane ee ee 2.0 125 25
sBhreshinembushelss ane sesee ae sBakls ctesae se nsemesn sat seeee she | 15.0 = 1.80
Total labor, seed, twine and threshing or 73 per cent 2 of the
OPCLAEIN POX PENSe ss Uo Seer. seem co Sapna esse aa | rere LS oe ae eee 10.30
notavoperatinge expense: ClO) per cenb)s- = ce -e sete eee ae nee See eee ee ee 14.10
Wseroblan Gene = oe ae Sask ae ee ee yc aera ee pe ee $110 6% 6.60
otalicost. a:c0 toi oe a. Oa ee So ne| See ae eer ai oer [OSs eo sees 20.7
@re@itssa hie - . Soca ® Sais spas a een aie Re Gece anes eee eee ee leone a ic ao an aes -10
Rotabnet cosh peace: 6 ce ul tsar ee ary eee eee pene eee ON en [Soe | 20. 60
Total net cost per bushel (15 bushel yield) -..-...-.... Be el Neenah Det T ee 9S 1.37

1 Binder cut grain threshed from shock, bundle haulers furnished by farmer and field pitchers by the
t hresherman.
2 From the 1920 cost figures.

SUMMARY OF LABOR PRACTICES.

Summaries of the labor practices, showing the average time and
the percentage of the total acreage covered by each field operation are
given in Tables 24 to 27.

With the exception of the two Missouri counties and Gage County,
Nebr., the use of manure on wheat land was not common. In many
instances straw and manure were applied more for the purpose of pre-
venting soil blowing than asa plantfood. This was especially true in
Woodward County, Okla. Since farm manure was applied only on
selected parts of the wheat fields, it was difficult to determine the ex-
act acreage covered, hence the man and horse requirements for its
application have been omitted from these tables.

Tillage practices in the preparation of a suitable seed bed were not
uniform. As an example of variation in practice, a farmer might
plow a part of his acreage, list a part, and disk drill the remainder on
stubble land without further preparation. Of the total wheat acre-
age studied, 12 per cent was listed and 50 per cent was plowed. (See
Fig. 10.) Thirty-six per cent of all land plowed was with tractor
power. In Pike County, Mo., 75 per cent of the total acreage was
plowed. The remaining 25 per cent was mainly corn land most of
which was disk-harrowed instead of plowed. In Cheyenne County,
Nebr., 55 per cent or.the total acreage was plowed, the remaining
acreage being principally wheat stubble land which was disk-har-
rowed instead of plowed. The lister was substituted for the plow on

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. 31

19 per cent of the acreage in Pawnee County, Kans., and on 60 per
cent of the wheat acreage in Woodward County, Okla. The disk har-
row was used in all districts visited. Likewise the spike-tooth har-
_row was common to all districts except Thomas County, Kans., where,
on account of large volunteer wheat acreages, a minimum amount of
seed bed preparation was required. Sixty-five per cent of the wheat
acreage in Cheyenne County, Nebr., was tractor disked and twenty-
two per cent of the wheat acreage in McPherson County, Kans., was
tractor harrowed.

The number of times the land was covered with the disk harrow
varied from once in Clay County, Nebr., and McPherson County,
Kans., to 1.5 times in Cheyenne County, Nebr. Likewise the range
in the use of the spike-tooth harrow was from 1.1 times in Woodward

Fic. 10.—Plowing sod land for wheat with a 5-horse, 2-bottom plow. The 2-bottom gang plow was
the most common size where horses were used in plowing.

| County, Okla., to 2.3 times in McPherson County, Kans. The work —
of seeding was done with both horse and tractor power, although
mainly with horses. (See Fig. 11.)

Harvesting with the binder was the common practice in all districts
except Thomas and Pawnee Counties, Kans., and Woodward County,
| Okla. Ninety-four per cent of the acreage in Woodward County, 94
| a cent in Thomas County, and 84 per cent in Pawnee County was
| harvested with a header. One per cent of the acreage in Pawnee
County, Kans., 6 per cent in Garfield County, Okla., and 21 per cent in
| Cheyenne County, Nebr., was harvested with a combine.
| In all districts except McPherson County, Kans., most of the bundle

grain was shock threshed, the headed grain all being threshed from
| stacks in the field. Of the bundle grain production for McPherson

| County, 59 per cent was shock threshed, and 41 per cent threshed from
stacks in the field. Of the total bundle grain produced in all districts,
91 per cent was shock-threshed and 9 per cent stack threshed.

32 BULLETIN 1198, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Except in the two Missouri counties, from about 10 to 20 per cent of
the total harvested grain was hauled direct from the separator to local
elevators, the remainder being stored on the farm and hauled as time
permitted. In Pike County, Mo., 62 per cent, and in Carroll County,
Mo., 46 per cent of the harvested grain was hauled direct to local ele-
vators.

Fig. 11.—Drilling-wheat with horse and with tractor power. Tractor power ior drilling wheat was
not common except in Cheyenne County, Nebr.

TABLE 24.—Summary of labor practices in Missouri, winter wheat, 1920.

Pike County. Carroll County.

Operations. ;

Average hours i 3) AVerag S pe
i erage hours per Records. | Acreage! Average hours per

acte. acre.
|
Per cent. | Per cent. Men. | Horse. | Per cent.| Per cent. Man. Horse.
Manne. . ...- ee 49 55 ‘al Poeue eae teal Baye aelee aa 38 [22352 = eee
URE Weare ee Sr ZAM aa C) ili | acs See rcenaie aN LR 2} | eee es ee
(Pigwes = SS > ST 65 35> LS se 2] 3.7 13.4
Plow (ifacior)-----.2- = 7 C6 [2 15 | 27 | Sirs Cee Se
Disk = (nolap)----.-- 49 32 1.5 5.1 | 17 | VW 12] 4.7
SSE bin ete 36 37 2.3 | 7 46 | 36 1.7 | 6.
SEs (SESCEOR 2. o2 <= - 4 Ss i Pt 19 pate 7 iB! Leh Ss
Harrow + <--=.- eae: 96 92 1.0 Sars. 91 | 7S 1.3) 5.1
Harrow (iractor)-..-- : 2 4 2S non eee 11 | 21 Ty) See
Tay es ae Se ee) ee eee) (here een! api re tare aul eeere See 7 10 aa $28
Dra ee see 27 2B -3 3.0 6 | a -8 3.3
Haulfertilizer--.-...- 3 Q1 4 8) 2222220. [Bt eee ARS eee
Gleave Seed es oe 53 58 | Ani] ene eee 44 54 | oF) ees ae
Treat Seed 2. 225.2 2 2) ne. SS) cme eS 22 | 22 lS) et eo Se
Brahe es 8 > 100 100 1.0 3.4 Qs Qs 9 3.1
PU SUILM (ears 77 5) eee ee EN Ip Spee init ewes eee 2 2 | BF, Sate ee
Cut (binder)... ...-- 98 QT -8 3.2 3 65 | 8 3.2
Cut (binder tractor). - 2 3 Loy Gl eee ee oe 19 35 | Te 2 be ee
Sire 3 eee ees 100 100 je Be i A 100 100 | 126 [2
eshoek: S-- 2. 3.225. 2? 26 | ere eee 61 61 | Ye ee oe
Ss a ee 5 2 3.3 3.5 13 6 | 4.0 | 41
Pil inek. 36-22-22: 62 65 2 -3 7 Ti | er) =o
Thresh from stack. - -- 5 2 20 |) 2 3- Se 13 4 2: Gibco
Thresh from shock - - - 95 98 3.2 3.6 ST 96 4.1) 4.8
Haulto granary--..-- 57 38 =e 1.0 61 54 1.0} d fa
Haulirom granary to :
AERC 2 ee Di 33 ce 2.2 61 ot L9| 5 aps
Haulfrom machine to
aTIAS RECS. teat Seee 58 62 i i 2.2 48 46 L4} 2.9

hreshing and hauling percentages are based on bushels.

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS. oo

TaBLe 25.—Summary of labor practices in Kansas, winter wheat, 1920.

Thomas County. McPherson County. Pawnee County.
Operations.
Rec- | Acre-| Average hours} Rec- | Acre-) Average hours] Rec- | Acre-| Average hours
ords. | age. per acre. ords. | age.} per acre. ords. | age. per acre.
IEG \| Tear IEGP || JEEP Per | Per
3 cent. | cent. | Man.| Horse. | cent. | cent.| Man.| Horse. | cent. | cent. | Man.) Horse.
IMAMUInG Raa soc ceiee = 10 ALLE) eee (Speen rere 35 PAU Ya Nea ge ECON Se ae 21 P25 Wf amas erage (eee ae eT
Gtrawrewsesasacce cee: Dela (2)\ pe |e Sollee eee 2 16 Oh ee | ala 2 Die eee a ae rere
IRI O Wart sera take eats 24 6 250 8.2 81 53 2.8 ial a 48 19 2.6 11.8
Plows @tracton)/s4-=-- - 19 LOE SAR Al i oe 35 BO ay AW SaSeboce 19 Qi SDs tales a coed
DISKa((ap) ear seeee'- Bil D350 ele 6.4 27 CA Wes 6.0 45 Mp Wh 7 Sz
Disk (no lap)....-... 31 Wb |) al, 4 5.6 19 1) .9 3.8 19 Wh as il 4.9
DISS (CHOU) oe naaooce 2 1 OP eer 5 9) SOE IE hae cnc 19 10 5) [ee ees
TEIGYERONT Geese Ss hee SOG HEIST Sere DRE pra eae rae ede eae 86 MY Us 4,7 64 42 .4 2.3
Bertow (CHERYOHOD) odo calle Sea allabooaa laveeed lapeeocee 22 22 One waee aor 7 7 Don eee
Bio. oh re Rae Sulla: LS Ciel aerate esl ee merit 29 WB | 7 de 5.6
Vist (QETACE OT) tS eeerere erste | ore ened | crmerraltyatevererctalliaj4 otelars | vciars caillvure Gu: a(/evaileutats © 12 6 HOP es eee
5 EOP rae 3 Neat ARIS lena Perey feat Wal oa PNM Ihe em 14 10 att 4,3
Cleat SOOO SSA Ses a5 eee re ae ee eee eee ees 32 37 Isl iS ee Bae 2 3 Dp kaa ng es
FTCA LIS COC tapers ore tere Nacsa al area [Pe cic eral sibel lens Se | eseyncievelllvsirs cual ions cea esta cae 5 4 oi aoe ant
ID fet se ae ne eee 83 76 .6 2.0 92 90 sik 57 93 86 .6 2.6
Drill Ciracthor) ress 5 17 24 NOM ese sane 8 10 AT Wien ear 14 14 SATs acta
Head and stack...... 88 86} 2.6 4,1 22 18| 2.9 4,4 86 CE 2S 4,3
Head and stack
((HEXOIOSE)) Sao Seagcoad 10 Si sede Dealer tertepetel|(chsrer tice fete yal rersorsrell ee sere ees 7 9 Sill 5,4
CWombimer(traccvor) sere eee lee eet cllincie tee tala) ie eieteialectae Gales nce | enemiene 2 ‘fe | le OM eee eee
Cuta(binder)es2-eeo2- 5 3 55 253 78 57 51 2.8 36 11 52 3.0
Cut (ursclce) create 5 3 alse eet aie 24 25 SO eee: 10 AS es [ta (Maer reraeees
| SHOCK San sy 10 5 eifealiewaee eters 89 80 SQ ects eee 43 1955 5) ate ASEAN |e eee eee
eee SN BS CATT SEA ee ae eel | Sree rece pan i a 35 40 AD epee 5 eles Me OE | eae ee
Stackers arene ere |i etna SW eal cieverecna 57 Sells 2.4 10 Wh 1G 250
Haul fuel. - j 45 45 all ail 51 51 oil =u 76 i sll ot
Thresh from stack
(Cowinls farkia)) eco lsaoesolaasouellascernl beatiocan 54 SON ere wee eee ees 10 Hai (Oy (8)
Thresh fain stack
(headed grain)..... 98 94] (6) (6) 22 19 | (6) (6) 93 84] (6) (6)
Thresh from shock... 10 6 | (6) (6) 49 Aisle ley 2.0 38 14 o€ .0
Hauito granary...... 86 76 sul MG al 92 79 .4 aU 98 88 .6 9
Haul from granary
TOMMAPKetae see. 86 G4) Ws? 5 92 CONE 10 2.0 98 Shey 1 eral aL Ds)
Haul from machine
tommanketeec-- see. 38 23) (6) (6) 27 21 8 1 40 12 9 1.9
Sold at machine...... 2 iL | Exeerecre terrasse ators call eva eo | oes haloes call Pome es epee sen PL ay Be OR [De ae

1 Threshing and hauling percentages based on bushels.
3 Less than 1 per cent.
G 3 pine is done 1.2 times in Thomas County,1 timein McPherson County, and 1.2 timesin Pawnee
ounty
: Harowiag i is done 2.3 times in McPherson County and 1.2 times in Pawnee County.
arges
6 Contract.

BULLETIN 1198, U. 5. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

TABLE 26.—Summary of labor practices 1n Oklahoma, winter wheat, 1920.

Operations.

El OWwaGbEACtOn) Besecree eee eee
DiISK:2! (ap) es See ee oe eee ee ae se
IDiSk: (MOM ap) Ree eee ee eee ers
Disk ((WEXGHO)) po adeeb anoeccesuesaecdas

lebyactOny, (GEXOHO) seen sceodcescucoosuee
GUERIN SEBO seca casacosesdcousassasdesa

EVeadea Gls tacks sess eee eres |
Comibine;@iractorn)s-sha see eee |
Cuti@boind en) eee ere eee ye ee
Cit (ra chor) haere ee

ISEB EROS Sea ron eeona as oema ee aaeeerer
Thresh from stack (bundle grain)... .
Threshfrom stack (headed grain)... .-
Whreshitromsshocksenee-- see. 2 = se ee
Eau O}eran aye ee eee ee
Haulfrom granary to market........
Haulfrom machine to market.......-

Garfield County.

Rec-
ords.

Acre-
‘ age.l

Average hours

Woodward County.

Rec-
ords.

Acre-
age.!

Average hours
per acre.

Per

» cent. Man. | Horse.

per acre.
Man. | Horse
245 10.6
sell Neg ioe eee
1.6 6.3
ie al 4.7
[AOR Eee cee
15 6.0
183 5.1
9 4.2
sala ie fos ea seaeeete
SU Meats econ
ad 2.8
.8
Be 4.9
50)
5 5% IL
1.0
PA Ora esa
Beit eee
3.4 3.6
eal: a2
(4) (4)
(4) (*)
) (4)
.8 152
1.4 Pf
11500) 2.1

1 Threshing and hauling percentages are based on bushels.
2 Disking was done 1.1 timesin Garfield County and 1.2 times in Woodward County. -
3 Harrowing was done 2 times in Garfield County and 1.1 times in Woodward County.

4Contract.

COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT IN GREAT PLAINS,

Taste 27.—Summary of labor practices in Nebraska, winter wheat, 1920.

Operations.

Plow (tractor).......-
IDS S VIEWD)) so aeosocse
Disk @olap)ies.. 222:
Disk (tractor)........
HEAT RO Waste acces ye nse:

@leaniseedee ies soe
Mreatiseedsceacs ce
1D ares ee ek

HOTU (Gracton)eeesee es nee eee
Head and stack......|.....-
Combine (tractor). ...|.. a

Cut (binder).....

le Haul fael..5. 600.2555:
| Thrash from stack
(bundle grain)......
hresh from stack

Thresh from shock. . .
Haul to granary......
Haul from granary to
TALK tere
Haul from machine
cormarket os eo.

County.

(headed grain). ....|......

Gage County: Clay County. Cheyenne County.
Average | Average : Average
Rec- |Acre- Ree- |Acré-| Rec- |Acre-
1{ hours per ,| hours per ,| hours per
ords. | age. nore: ords. | age. Cre, ords. | age. eo
Per | Per Per | Per Per | Per
cent. | cent. | Man.| Horse. | cent. | cent. | Man.) Horse. | cent. | cent. | Man.) Horse.
51 Soh Oia agen aCe al TSO 40 OG ee eeeeel | pera ereeae 8 RSE EA iy itt
2 Otel levees ce alter le ise le Me AE Bie Fi ae oe Se Ce Mee reearallteleverereerate
93 91 2.9 11.5 98 92 2.4 10.9 21 5 250 Naka #7
5 5 LES 8 eee elos Se 10 8 PS eae 63 50 Dp Sul Mexseretersts
5 2 1,2 4.8 2 3 2 A Bis ipa rede |e a ene
12 6 8 One 32 29 48 Bh 4 21 7 1.8 8.7
2) 1 Le Ua ie Sehnert ec esac ree 8 || eee a | be eat aa 74 65 Pata ieseeu eas
95 93 el 4.6 95 94 BH Sali 29 it oti) DAM
RRR ey A ate Ryan | es Oe | Ree eee teat ne eh ne [CB eee ll eee ee & 2 Soh pone
Be eat earner || a as] Re, ea 5 a mi) PASO TiN ol Reel (aN Nal | sey Se ea Ge 3
35 36 PS) | Ae tear 35 42 SED Bad cat Sate 3? 33 sl Reha
2 2 TIS is aT 12 14 BUD ES EUR 3a 39 SIS ea
100 100 9 Oo 100 100 .8 3.3 63 3D 1.0 2.4
Jigen ear | [Jeti ees Sil 7h Sate ae aR eel Hen eI OD AE ECA ACN 53 65 BAY (al aca ee ee
aoe Beal | ea pegs ail pes x tins pet | Up aLPaGagte aen [rat ca boties ea 5 2 2.8 2.8
ie peers | see ety Ape eter See pele a ey Nea eel CECE A Cg 16 21 13 Eee
98 97 .8 3. 4 98 98 Bie 2.8 53 35 Pet | 2.8
5 3 Oh eters 2 2 A OR eee 34 42 Oi leva talon lies
100 100 Se) 4 eee 100 100 Des Oa) a sh ae 87 Ca DO} eee
35 33 RPA eee gaee oC 28 36 VAS iS acres ai 24 23 i let) Ree
7 ialitoere 322 40 18} 3.0 3.9 3 if 252 2D}
49 45 AP AB 80 75 wil 7} 32 24 alt ay}
7 5 LEO Ra ee 40 1145) eal Pa ons ee 3 1 AS AG eat ae
ST a 2 OA Meir | ae Laie | NISL Sr 5 P38) ea Leese hoe Bs
93 95 oo 3.7 75 85 Delt 3.8 84 74 1.8 onl
95 94 .6 .9 90 89 el 1.0 95 88 Fath Le2
95 94 1.8 3.6 90 89 9 1.9 95 88 a2 2.9
5 6 3.5 6.9 » OH 11 65) -8 37 12 1.0 PAM

1 Threshing and hauling percentages are based on bushels.
2 Less than 1 per cent.
3 Disking was done 1.1 times in Gage County, 1.0 time in Clay County and 1.5 times in Cheyenne County.
4 Harrowing was done 2.2 times in Gage County, 1.7 times in Clay County, and 1.5 times in Cheyenne

ORGANIZATION OF THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

December 13, 1928.

IS CERCLET I/O} “AQTICULLUT C= n 1c Sac oe x oe as See Henry C. WALLACE.

PASSUSLALIEE SD CCLELOTYtcccs oo ed hack SSS Howarp M. Gore.

Wirecrorop sccentijie Works... 50. 22 5-22 a a EK. D. Batt.

Mirectoriof Regulatory Work . <0. ..-5<< aot ioou WALTER G. CAMPBELL.

muincctorzoy etension Work. 2.0.2 eos. -2 Ss? C. W. WARBURTON.

S DUST Soh aaa ee ae a ae rs . R. W. WILtraMs.

Weather Re Es See eee ees SE CHarLes F. Marvin, Chief.

Bureau of Agricultural isin. Bo. oso. SHENRY 202 PA YEOR, IChiey

Burcauof, Animal Industry. 32.) 22... 2=.- Joun R.-Mouter, Chief.

Bureau of Plant Industry. .....-....-- SS eae Wiruuiam A. Taytor, Chief.

Forest Service....- Nay Nea in eee eta QT W. B. Greewey, Chief. .

ECA Op OICIUISERY. foc he onan eget oh ee ... C. A. Browne, Chief.

PXMECOMSOPISOUS: Lc. <a> Eee se: Ween et Mitton Wuitney, Chief.

RCaUOS HMLOMOLOGY 2 <. 22-2208. 42 2e sk ols L. O. Howarp, Chief.

BURCHIL Off DHOLOGUCELS UTDEY 2. = ---2=--- 22 -5-- E. W. NEtson, Chief.

COU O/ PEALOUICHROOES « .</. = 1 soe ee ke THomas H. MacDonatp, Chief.

BUA Of = HOMe. PCONOMAMUS. ~~ -\..- =~ ==> 2 <= Louise STANLEY, Chief.
O fice of Experiment Stations .........--.--- E. W. ALLEN, Chief.
Fixed Nitrogen Research Laboratory. .-.....--- F. G. Cotrret., Director.
PERIED UIC LECOM SNe wc tsale eee teys 2 ke A, L. J. Haynes, In Charge.

JE UOTE te SA RS ee a ne oa Te RE ee IG CLARIBEL R. Barnett, Librarian.
sHederal. Horticultural Board... 2- 222222 << C. L. Maruattr, Chairman.

Insecticide and Fungicide Board............. J. K. Haywoop, Chairman.

Packers and Stockyards Administration........ ae Morriit, Assistant to the
Grain Futures Administration. ...-.:..:------ Secretary.

This bulletin is a contribution from

Bureau of Agricultural Economics.......-..--- Henry C. TayYtor, Chien
Division of Cost of Production...........R. H. Witcox, in charge.
36

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