The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-12

Combined with the figures obtained by
similar surveys OF areas in New York.
Pennsy wanna. Ohio, Wisconsin, Kansas,
Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas,
made III the course OF the Investigation,
tins Is 50 small that il apparently implies
a low standard OF living. The average
cost OF maintenance per person for all the
areas studied was SlIti-a notable increase
over the Vermont figure of SILT. The
difference, agricultural authorities say. l.
largely to be accounted for by the fact
that comparatively little was raised on
the ermont farms for home consump-
ton, much OF what the family used had to
he bought and in consequence it used as
little a possible.
. Food is the great factor in the cost OF
maintaining life. OF this the average fam
lly IN the Vermont area consumed each
year S36l 30 of which 532 per cent came.
directly from the Jarm The correspond
ing averages for AL the yIeas we've S4I2 90
aud G.s PEE cent respectively la tic
/ Georgia area the averages were $50 IL
and I>-3 per cent. From these figures IL
would appear that if the farm family j. to
| i've we'll 1t must raise much OF what it
/ consumes itself, and further ANALYSIS
strengthens this conclusion.
| Few fruits and vegetables were raised
! ON the ermont farms and IN consequence
these formed a smaller part of the total
food supply than in any other area except
Ohio. The Vermont family made up for
tins lack by the use ii groceries 81 : pcr
cent ct which We're purchased. AZ a re-
tsldt the average bill for groceries was an
lpfoNmately $ltfi.>4 a. compared with am
IaVerage for all the areas Of $500. And
yet. II We nudge by the total value Of the
fat ,.Itr1Sy f1.A,ll t,-..g \.
lN. the Vermont family in its standard OF
living, ranked last. la North Carolina.
the average family spent only ST. rs ON
food OF all kinds and lived better than in
| ' elmont. In this connection it i note
WORTHY that in dairy section half of the
families bought butter and that only S123
OF mh and S6.Sl OF eggs per person were
lconsumcd. The milk of course. was Fe-
lserved for sale, the supply of eggs. how
lever. could have been greatly increased
flor the family's benefit at "a tIitlng outlay
OF trouble and expense. In Iowa the aver
age consumption per person was - dozen.
in Vermont II
For much of this failure to make the
farm contribute directly TO the support OF
the family, climate and other local condi-
tons may be held responsible. The inNes-
Itgdtlou affords conclusive evidence, how
lever, that in Vermont as i'm many other
lareas, the farIs i regarded too much
from the point of view of cash returns and
that the possibility of making it weld a
revenue OF another but equally valuable
kind IS too much neglected And il we
turn from food to other factors in the cost
lof living, the Importance Of this revenue
Is equally striking.
Each Vermont Harm Supported an aver
age OF rs persons, that in one way or
another a revenue from it of S706 was
necessary IN order to supply the family
with necessities But only a small part
Iof this total expenditure took the form
1 Of cash outlay. OF the labor, for example,
only about l per cent was paid for. the
rest being performed by members of the
family. Had they done this work for
somebody else. however they would have
been paid for il, and il had been per
formed by somebody elst they would have
had to pay. In other words, this labor
has cash value, and since it adds to the
comfort OF the family must be included
IN the revenue from the farm.
he charge for rent must be considered
IN much the same way. The value of the
tal1n house Is usually included in the
value Of The laild and the whole regarded
as the cauifaI which the farmer has in
vested iii his business II this IS done,
however, 1t Il only iair to credit the farm
with having furnished its occupants with
shelter, which, as every city worker
knows, has high cash value On the
ermont farms included in the investisa.
tom, the average annual value Of this
shelter, IN other words the house rent.
was estimated at S!3 year. figure which
lnetuded interest, depreciation and repairs
but i very low in comparison with othel
areas
S'NtN-siN dollars and forty-onc ceuts
worth Of fuel was burned each wear, prac
tleat1s all d which was wood that came
ffom the farm. This lends point to the
f contention that the average farmer doe.
: not appreciate the real value Of his wod1
lot, Not only does it furnish him direct,
I'm this way with what is the equivalent