Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-02-28

While this investigation is prob
ably to some extent open to the
same criticism-a fault which 1t
would be very difficult to entirely
eliminate without the use of greater
facilities and more money than has
been granted this office-it has been
constantly sought to make the re-
suits given ks fair and trustworthy
as possible: NS'discrimination has
been practiced III the selection OF
farmers from whom information was
asksd-the question being sent in
discriminatory to large and small
farmers, successful and unsuccessful;
but naturally a large per cent. of the
better class of farmers would be
more likely to answer than of the
poorer class. Also, many farmers
do not keep accounts, and are
unable to give accurate information;
and probably such farmers number
within their ranks smaller percent
age Of good farmers than are found
among those who keep account and
are able to give detailed statements.
So, a. might be expected, the aver
age yield Of the farmers that have
given information for this investi-
CATION is somewhat larger than the
average for the State at large. In
1893 the average for the State was
little more than ten bushels per acre,
while the average for the farms here
reported is liza bushels. Thus,
while the figures are as fairly repre-
sentative as can be arrived at with
the methods at the command of the
Commissioner, they doubtless repre-
sent on the average better class of
farmers than the average for the
entire State presents.
AS is we'll known, the Commits
sioner is allowed no money to de-
fray any expenses for travelling
around among the farmers, nor to
to send any agents for that purpose,
which would be by far the best
method of obtaining information on
such subject. For severol reasons
it would he entirely useless to ask
the assessors to collect such infor-
nation, and the only other method
was through the mails-at best an
unsatisfactory and not altogether
reliable plan. But the best use pos
sible has been made of the facilities
available.
To begin with, great deal of
care was exercised in framing ques-
ton sent out to the farmers, The
forms of inquiry used by the United
States Government for wheat and
corn, and by the States of Iowa and
Nebraska for corn, were examined
and set of questions prepared that
was thought to be best adapted to
this State. Samples Of these were
then sent to number of we'll known
practical farmers in the State, and
their criticisms and suggestions So
licited. A number of replies were
received, from which it was seen
that there was as many methods
Of getting at such information az
there were farmers consulted. Almost
every intelligent farmer who tries
to arrive at the cost of production
of his different crops, has a method
somewhat his own, and can, of
course, best figure upon his own
method. The idea, then, of pre-
pairing a blank to suit all, is impos-
sible, the one used was thought to
best fill the requirements. Forms
could have been used which, in the
hands of farmers highly educated in
business matters, would have been
more satisfactory and probably pro-
ductive of more accurate results.
But information was desired from
average farmers who were not ex-
pert book-keepers, and 50 as simple
a form as possible must be devised,
and yet one that would cover all the
ordinary expenses of producing 8
crop.-F'rom the Annual Report of
Cnnorniousionor of Arrioulfuro