Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-01-08
What is the Farmers Real Income?

shfuEton.-ENtensive inveStiga-
fions into the profits OF farming have
indicated that the amount OF money
which the average farmer receives
for his years work is little more than
that which he would be paid II he hired
himself out as farm hand TO one OF
his nelghbors In other words. though
the farmer Is 90 business for himself.
the average farmer gets little or no
money reward for the intelligence and
skin with which he has managed his
affairs or the risk and responsibility
he has assumed. But he must get
something in return or no one would
trouble TO farm for himself \ recent
study conducted b. experts in the
U1ited States department OF agricul-
ture shows that In may cases this re-
yard may best be found in the pro
ducts with which his farm furnishes
him directly. When a farm IS nearly.
u not quite. Eelf-sustaiuiuE say agri-
cultural experts. when % supplies the
family that lives upon u with most Of
the necessities OF life. a large money
Income o. not necessary TO prosper
lty. 4 greater sum derived from a
farm which yields nothing for home
consumption may leave the occupants
much worse Of
Under the title Of Farmers Bulle-
tin 635. What the Farm Contributes
Directly 20 the Farmers Living" the
department Of agriculture Is about 10
publish the results OF a survey OF con-
di,ious on a large number OF farms in
the 10 states OF North Carolina, Geor- I
gia. Texas. Kansas. Iowa. Wisconsin, /
Ohio. Pennsylvania. New York. and
Vermont The farms selected for (
study. though possibly a little more
prosperous than the average. were
fairly representative of their sections !
which. il viii be noted. included three .
corn and cotton areas. two states in .
the corn and wheat belt. two regions (
where general farming was carried /
on. and three different dairy districts. {
The average value OF the chief neces-
sites OF life-foOd. fuel oil, and shell
ter-used each year by the farm fam
ly the Investigators found 10 be
S595.OS. OF these necessities. estimat-
ed On money. the portion contributed
directly By the farm was S421.17. leav-
ing SI73Si 10 be purchased with the /.
cash obtained from the sale of pro
ducts. IN considering these figures
Ii must be remembered that II the
farmer had been compelled TO pay city
prices for his home grown necessities,
his S42i17 would have represented \
much less comfort.
OF the food consumed 60 per cent \
xas furnished by the farm. This pro
portion varied greatly In the different
sections but was greatest in the local
rs studied in North Carolina. where !
me farms supplied 92.3 per cent OF the (
'ood consumed while the average in
me New York locality was only 500. {
Ia view OF the present economic crisis
~ the south this fact Is regarded as
y particular significance since it dem
,nstrates the extent 20 which with a
proper system OF agriculture southern
arms can be made self-sustaining. -,
Concentration upon one cash crop. cot ,
on. has proved disastrous and agri- Z
ulruraI authorities are now trying in ;
very way TO induce the people 10 ;
.dopt a system which viii lead TO con
itious similar TO those nov prevailing y
% this particular area of North Caro- .
ina. ~
IN this connection the investigation j
eveaied some interesting facts in re- I,
ard 70 the four items OF groceries. >
nimal products. fruits and vegetables y
d the average farm family's food bill.
lf the value OF the food consumed
roceries constituted practically one g
uaTter. animal products more than b