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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1915)
'wr"" '"''- ' 'r'jr ?t,?"'9rp7, i :, The Commoner W'l c. 26 vol; 15, NO. 1 F'v - iyttr"w' ' vT7ipr r"i.' '''yBjrviW fer I y " w a? V, w.- v ' IH f. , I I I ' ' " .1 I In the Field of Agriculture . . 4 WHAT IS TJI1D FARMER'S REAL INCOME Extensivo Investigations into the profits of farming have indicated that tho; amount of monoy which tho av crngo farrnor rocoivos for his year's work is littlo more than that which ho would bo paid if ho hired himself out ns a farm hand to one of his neighbors. In other words, though CTflD AGENTS m I W8 ' Salesmen JiiKt Out Brand now inyontlon splon dld Hollor Llffht Doflcctor for Auto Headlights, Puts lights on tho road In stead of In other peoplo's oyos. Not a dimmer liicrciiricn driving IIkIit. Cuts out all tho "glare." Noeded wanted on ovory maehino. Simple. Easy to put on. No adjustments no knobs to turn lasts as long: as tho car. Fully Patented. Low in price soils llko llentnlng-. LISTEN: you can malco $45.00 to $125.00 Week'y JohiiNon, Ohio, cleared $22 first day, Allen, Wnsli., mado $25.00 ono aftornoon. Illn kle, WInc, "Best article I over sold." Wnlkcr, Kanx, writes, "Double my ordor and ship C.O.D." Gornutn, Iown, wires, "Ship gross quick, winner monoy. Sold 19 today." Profit :iO.10. Hurry, got somo of this monoy yoursolf. Wiley, Gn., roports 11 sales tho first day. Mlilnru, Ohio, HnyH "Evorybody wild over Deflect or." TIiIm In your clinneo lo make money. Don't hesltato n mlnuto. No chargo for territory muIcm Kunruutccd you can't holp p ut mako monoy. SIQND NO MONEY t jiiBt wrlto for full details. Address tho RMlckmycr Deflector Co., 437 S. & B. OlilK., Toledo, Ohio. w H V .-K J I "Z"f''S Krry man bat aa7 Hurry! Krt ry man bat to caitnl rhinee Writo today for dotalls. ;.S ttvwiia A SchmoHes & Mueller Piano guaranteed for 25 years, at a sav ing of $100 to 1200. OUR BIG PIANO OFFER We will ship you at our own ex pense, freight paid, any Piano or 88-note Player Piano you select from our handsomely illustrated Art Catalog and let you try it FREE 30 DAYS Wr(So not ask one penny in ad vance. If the piano satisfies we will give you a long time td pay and FREE MUSIC LESSONS. B? It does not satisfy you, send it back at our expense. You take no risk. We guarantee satisfac tion. Our Catalog and Plan tells all. Write today. Schmoller & Mueller Ffano Co. , fist 1858. Capital and Surplus $1,000,000 Dcpt. ON 48 Omaha. Neb. ScaoiterfcHaeUerFlaBoCo. Dcpt. O N 43 Sa4 eae your Bit (Flaao) (I'Uyci) Oiec Name ..,. .' , ...... .... AaareM tho farmer is in business for himself, the average farmer gets little or no money reward for the intelligence and skill with which lie has managed his affairs or the risk and respon sibility ho has assumed. But he must got something In return, or no one would trouble to farm for himself. A recent study conducted by experts in tho Unltod States department of agrl. culture shows that in many cases thf reward may best be found- in the products with 'which his farm furn ishes him directly. When a farm Is nearly, if not quite, self-sustaining, say agricultural experts, when it sup plies the family that lives upon it with most of the .necessities of life, a large money income is not neces sary to prosperity. A greater sum derived from a farm which yields nothing for home consumption may leave the occupants much worse off. Under tho tltlo nf TTVLrmArn' "R'ni- letin 035, "What the Farm Contrib utes Directly to the Farmer's Liv ing," the department of agriculture is about to publish the results of a survey of conditions on a largo num ber of farms in the ten states of North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Kan sas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsyl vania, Now York, and Vermont. The farm selected for study, though, pos sibly a little more prosperous than the average, were fairly representa tive of their sections which, it will be noted, included three corn and cot ton areas, two states in the corn and wheat belt, two regions where gen eral farming was carried on, and three different dairy districts. The average value of the chief necessities of life "food, fuel, oil, ana shelter used each year by the farm family the investigators found to be $595.08. Of these necessities, estimated in money, the portion contributed di rectly by th farm was $427.17, leav ing $173.91 to be purchased with the cash obtained 'from the sale of prod ucts. In considering these figures it must be remembered that if the farm er had been compelled to pay city prices for his home grown necessi ties, this $421.17 would have repre sented much less comfort. SOURCE OF FARM FOODS . Of the food consumed 63 per. cent was furnished by the farm. ' This proportion varied greatly in the dif ferent sections but was Greatest In the locality studied in North Caro lina, where the farm supplied 82.3 per cent of the food consumed while the average in tho New York locality was only 50.4. In view of the pres ent economic crisis in the south, this fact is regarded as of particular sig nificance since it demonstrates the extent to which with a proper system of agriculture, southern farmers can be made self-sustaining. Concentra tion upon one cash drop, cotton, has proved disastrous, and agricultural authorities are now trying In every way to induce the people to adopt a system which will lead to conditions similar to those now prevailing in hls particular area of Nor Hi fin. llna. In this connection the investiga tion revealed somo interesting facts In regard to the four items of gro ceries, animal products, fruits, and vegetables in the average farm fam ily's food bill. Of the value of the food consumed groceries consltuted practically ..one-quarter, animal prod ucts more than one half, vegetables 11.6 per cent, and fruit only 63. Practically all of the groceries were bought; on the other hand the quan tity of fruits and vegetables usedwas In direct proportion to the quantity raised on the farm and where this quantity was great the grocery bill was correspondingly low?. ' 'This was also found to be true of animal prod ucts, including, of course, not only butcher's meat but poultry, eggs, milk,- cheese, etc Where these were abundant on -the farm, fewer gro ceries were purchased. Since the grocery bill was found to bo- ordin arily two-thirds, of the-entire amount expended in cash for food, one very ojbvious and effective way of econ omizing appears to be to raise 'more vegetables, more fruit, more milk and eggs. In many cases, experts say, this can be done with no appreciable increase in trouble or expense. Next to food, shelter is probably the most important- necessity of life. In considering the farmer's income,' however, a common error in the past, Ttnf4 V j"-w . V 4 & n a u 11- .Ma..-.!.! k -JjfI nuo ucou uu iguuie uio qutisuuu oi. house rentv Tho value of the house has usually been included in the value of the land, and the whole considered as capital invested on nvliich interest must be paid before the farmer can be regarded as receiving any pay ai au. xnis metnoa, nowever, assumes that the farm family is to have shel ter . for nothing an assumption which the city worker w,ith whom it is not unusual to pay out from one third to one-quarter of his entire wageB for rent alone -would regard as most astonishing. COSTS OF THE FARM HOMES According to the recent investiga tion, if the average farmer had to pay rent, his home, would, cost him $125 a year. This figure represents 10 per cent of the value of the aver age house. Including interest, depre ciation and repairs, this is regarded as a fair rental charge for the class of houses usually found on the farm. With the information at their com mand, the investigators were also in a position to compute the average lAiai, ui uuuru ana lodging on the farm. In this they included an item very easily forgottenthe value of the house work performed by mem bers of the family. This was reck oned on the basis of the wages that would have had to be paid for hired assistance. Including . this with the more obvious charges for food, fuel, light, and rent, it was found that board and lodging for each individ ual averaged $14.62 a month. But of this sum, it is Interesting to note, the farmer paid out in cash onlv 22 SSnrSenV xclusive ot lodging." the board of the average hired man cost Jim a ? nth but here aeain the farmer had only to pay $3. The re maining $7 was furnished by the farm as a result presumably of tho hired man's own efforts. The averages obtained as the in sult of this investigation are not of exacTfe? aS a&lg exact tor the entire countrv Tn rh opinion of agricultural experts how ever they point with convincing em Phasis to the possibilities of comfort and prosperity that may be LB' by a fuller iiHnBy "J realized S&TVf. ?,e,E, C0Ur!6 V?oann. ICATSBFREE-D&'naUasfSCtHT. HWN' T -"i 1 " FARM FENCE 41 INCHES HIGH FOR mayo oniy o incncs apart. Wlrca can not slip. 100 DtylM ot Farm, Poultry and Lawn Fencing direct from factory at monoy eavlnf? prices. Ideal On! v. .BARBED WIRE $1.45 80-rod Bpool. Catalour froo. KITSELMAN BROS. BoxZlS Muncie, hi. 21 CENTS A ROD No Smoko, No Dirt, No Odor-A oqnveniont lamp ror ovory purpose For tho Homo. Offlco or Storo. powor oft yot brilliant lUrht- SUents maka mno men or woman nnlrV .... fur. AUyvarl byte Experience Not Necoasanrv: Thr bfflron SIsht. Every homo a procpect. Writ today for free bbmbmbhi unKnyuuu bkvuis propoaiuon. ACOflN BRASS HF0. CO., Dopt. CMmw, or Kanm City, Mo. Mfra.CaaoHno llght--ovrr detcrtptlon, for orery purpott. Send 2Co arid t will send Vnil trioen turn fin nnnroir. lllnr Ri7ffl nnMrorrn r9 niti. Anmn Tmintn Ponderosa Tomato, Early Spring Cabbaee) ruimum i.aio viax uuica uaDDago, Davis t cwcui uucumoer. nooaoo oiusumcion, ma Boston Lettuce, wench Breakfast Radish, MiYPrl Zinnia UIvaH Pnnnv AH VtnAa t fresh Garden, Flower and Farm Seeds. Ne- nrasKaupiana grown Airaira a specialty. x ucus-jLarsre assortment or Jfmiit and For- fSt Trfina. fironn Vlnmi Rnrrtoo 17lntirnrlnfv Shrubs, Roses. First class stock. Low prices. ecumuriiiuiiraieuivia seen ana irco uaraen uook, iuii oiLelpfullnTomiDtloB. Itlsfree GERMAN NURSERIES c SEED HOUSE Bo. 31 iwri?fnderer) BMtf!ee.N.u SEEDS Reliable and Full of Uf SPECIAI; OFFER liJi.kullJU.u.l,..l 1 1-1-1 1 win ranKujrou our permanent OMtomor PRIZE COLLECTinH .il , . " 7 7 : vnnocioi.i Tommtflfi.11 thnftniUt tn-K X TnU 1 funlnnrltfl. wnt4V 1fb AmIm Oi.ulH..tAMna wortn 15C( lO Spring Flowerlnv llnlbi. . wortuzso-OB varieties In all) worth JLOO. GUARANTEED TO PLEASE. Write today mention this paper. SEND 10 CENTS Uo cover postage and packing and rerolvel iuii raiaama raiiirtinm at ...f. ut.tmiii. 10. 1 author with my bis Inxtructlve, UaatlMli 8ed.and I'lanl Rook, tells all about Buclf. i "full of LU o" Seeds, Plants, etc k boe'a H.W. Buck bee Itockford Seed Farms 7ana OO BockfortLlHi Direct frost Factory to User JH 4 2H-P.34.9S 8 H-P. 139.65 12 H-P, 219.90 MH-P, 2980 Proportionally lv Krosn. Gasolin and Gas Stat!onary,(Bkldded or oa Iron baw) , apd Monntcd Styles. Standard the world over for 27 years. Better today than ever. Why pay double price for a irpoa engine, or take a poor or doubtful one for anypneo. When the WlTTJC coata ao little and naves all rUM 5-Year Guaranty 0a Ettkkacy awl IHiraWlHy. Dlreet from faetery Uaera,for cash or on easy terms, at prleea hitherto unheard of, xr,'" Blnea of these BieriU: Lonwoaring-, eeml-atec , separable cyllndera. and fonr-rinjt pistons: all vortlj cal valves; aatomoblle IjmlUoo: epark ahlt for easy starting; variable peed; and others, wlthcntwhlctt po engine can now he high-grade. I am simply")"" jng my manufacturing advantage with engm bnvernsara-ttilrnir nnW rvna amnll factory PfOBl. fliew book gyee fj'ys" onderatand engine book in the bw nees. Glveathe "Inside" of engine fWHM(T as well aa mannfaoturlnq. Shews my llbM-al selling plena with fowpkte price list. Write me yor iXrU address) for ay prompt reply. 9.Xi UJIU. tMlttt. . Utt. Aa. lAnm 2801 OaMMslAyo.tKaneacOltyrM. ..wCV' r f) pt. t ' .