The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-10-23

no branch of the department of agri-
culture is doing work Of more practical
value to the farmers of the United
States than the office of farm manage
ment, bureau of plant industry. Ger
tainly no Office is engaged in a greater
variety Of helpful Investigations along
practical lines. The farmers in gen.
eral have come to realize the value of
the farm management work to them,
but even the most enlightened do not
realize the extent to which the ac-
tivities of this office have gone.
For example, Prof william ]. Spill
man, chief Of the office and inaugur-
ator of farm management. work in the
department, informs your correspond
ent that his capable force is now pre-
pared to tell the farmers Of all Sec
tions Of the country exactly how much
money they are justified in spending
for farm house, barn and other ne
cessary buildings. Ordinarily farmers
would not expect any government Of
flee to furnish such information, but
Professor Spillman and his expert eco
nomists have discovered that knowl-
edge on this subject is absolutely es-
sential to intelligent farm manage
ment.
Therefore. after a careful investiga-
ton In various parts Of the country
they have found that the ideal farm
house for all sections does not cost
much in excess Of the annual income
of the farm, including the living OF
the farmer and his family. The best
example along this line was found in
Kentucky, where in an extensive COM
munity the average farm house cost
1913 per cent of the annual income OF
the farm on which 1t was built.
Zone trouble has been" said Pro-
lessor Spillman, that the element Of
pride has entered too largely into the
matter of farm home building. 1t is
natural and proper that a farmer
should have a certain degree of pride
in the construction OF home for him
self and family. It Is even more
natural for the women folks OF every
home to want to have a house that
is good to look upn and comfortable.
But it Is not wise for any farmer to
anticipate too much the future and go
too heavily In debt for his home.
"Our experts have worked out the
problem to a scientific certainty and
agreed that the cost should be limited
practically to the annual income of
farm. or course. various elements
enter into the proposition. The area
of the farm, the type Of farming, the
section in which the farm is located
ETC., must be considered, but always
the proposition resolves itself back to
a construction cost exceeding little. IL
any, the gross annual income of the
farm.
1.-THE office is prepared to tell farm
ers just how much their homes should
cost Given the facts indicated above.
we can furnish the figures to farmers
in all sections. or course, in a new
country, where the land Is rough and
unbroken, the farmer spends a much
smaller amount for his first house. On
the other hand, in sections where farm
lands are on the decline houses in
variably cost relatively more than the
gross annual income
Mr.. Spillman's Office also is pre-.
pared to furnish figures showing the
proper size and cost Of barns and 9TH
er essential farm buildings in various
parts of the country. This also de-
Ponds largely on the type of farming
location. proximity to good markets
etc.
The work OF the Office Of farm man
agement has been criticised as pater-
nalistic, but not In disagreeable
way. Apparently it is regarded as
the kind OF paternalism the govern
ment should engage in If any such
work is to be undertaken. With the
increase in population and narrowing
limits of good available agricultural
land, the necessity for more intensified
methods Of farming becomes more
pressing.
The United States has made splen-
did progress along this line even With
in the past few years." said Mr.. Spill
man, "but we do not yet begin to COM
pare with the progressive countries Of
Europe. They were driven to scien-
tific and intensive methods by abso-
lutte necessity. the same force Is grad
ually pressing forward in this country.
The period Of absolute necessity has
not yet arrived. of course. speaking
generally. Meanwhile, we have the
advantage OF all that the European
countries have accomplished.
Some years ago 1t was common to
have farmers laugh at the idea Of IN
troiucing scientific methods. systems