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The Commoner
W'l c.
26
vol; 15, NO. 1
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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.
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