The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-10-22

ured out the averages of different
~statlstics and reports them in an or.
ticle on "The Average American"
The average American, says DR..
Cannot, is a man five feet eight
inches in height, with a chest girth
of thirty-six inches, and a weight CT
$50 pounds. He is nearly an inch
taller than his English cousin, and
more that an inch taller than his
distant cousin, the German. He
probably looks over the heads of all
European people. In weight, how
ever, he is exceeded by both English
man and German, being of Simmer
and lighter build, although he is
probably as heavy as the average
European.
His family consists of one wifs
and three children, a fourth child
having died in infancy. His age is
thirty seven years, and he expects
to live thirty years longer. His ex-
~pectation of life is greater by a year
or two than that of the representa-
tive Of any other people, those who
most nearly approach him being our
kin, the English and Germans. His
wife is thirty-fve years of age, is
five feet four inches in height, and
weighs 1875 pounds. She will live to
the age of sixty eight years, as her
expectation of life is slightly greater
than that of her husband. They
we're married ten years ago. The
two older children are pursuing
their studies in the public schools,
which the youngest child has not
yet entered. Both he and his wife
received a common. school educa-
ton, but did not continue their
studies into the high school.
His home is near Columbus, Ind,
toward the southern part of the
State, at an altitude of 800 feet above
the sea At this place the mean an
nual temperature is $50, and the an
nual rainfall Al inches. Here he
owns a farm of 1877 acres, 80 of which
is under cultivation.
HE Is PROSPEROUS.
The average American is a~ssuredly
prosperous. He owns a farm worth
So, 500, on which there is a mortgage
of $500, and his yearly income is
about $40. Besides, he has $3.50 in
railway stock and bonds, and, on de-
posite in a savings bank in Columbus,
the sun of $3.50. Elsewhere he pos
sesses other property, including a
house lot in a suburban subdivision,
the value of which at present it is
not easy to estimate, as it was pur-
chased several years ago, at inflated
prices. His entire estate has an es-
timated value of $4,000, and his an
nual income is, on an average, about
$3.50. His property is assessed at
about 40 per cent of it's true value,
and he pays taxes amounting TO
$14.6O, or 70 cents per 500 of as
sessed valuation.
AS TO HIS VICES.
He is, in a measure, q slave to TO-
bacoo. He consumes twenty pounds
of the narcotic weed a year, or one
ounce per day, and although he has
used it freely since he was grown,
al did his father and grandfather be-
fore him, it does not appear that he
has suffered any mental OF physical
deterioration in consequence of such
indulgence. Though by no means
an Incorporate man, neither is he an
advocate of total abstinence. An
nually his family, which NEAR in
the main himself, consumes N gal
Ions of spirits and wine, and not less
than rs gallons of beer. This last
item illustrates, q characteristic 40
CURED with his German strain Of
blood. He uses less spirits and more
malt liquors thon did his immediate
ancestors.
SOMETHING ABOUT HIS %
The family of the average Ameri-
can lives on a scale and a daily diet
which would be regarded in Europe
as lavish, such a one as can be ST
forded there only by the rich. His
table is spread with abundance, not
only with articles of domestic pro
,duotion, but of imported food stufs.
For example, his family consumes
annually 1850 pounds of wheat -four,
and 500 pounds Of oat and corr meal,
$50 pounds of meat, or about two