Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-01-21

poaru ana lodging on the farm for each
individual was on an average Of s147 a
year This sum included food. fuel oil
house rent, and house labor. the items
being as follows:
ROOD OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1854
uel '''..'.'...........,.... 1913
WI OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. .F
mouse rent ................,. 1900
ilouse labor ................ $500
si713
Compared with the figures obtained
by similar surveys Of areas in New York
pennsylvania. Ohio Wisconsin, Kansas.
Iowa, North Carolina Georgia, and Tex
az. made in the course of the investiga-
ton, this is so small that 1t apparently
implies low standard of living Tho
average cost of maintenance per person
for all the areas studied was s17s--a not
able Increase over the Vermont figure
of $147. The differences agricultural
authorities say. is largely to he account
ed for by the fact that comparatively
little was raised on the Vermont farms
for home consumption, much of what
the family used had to he bought and
In consequence It used as little as poss-
ible.
Food is tho great factor In the cost
OF maintaining life. or this the average
! family in the Vermont area consumed
each year s3sle0 of which 5S2 per cent
came directly from the farm The cor
| responding averages for all the areas
were s412o9 and 63 per cent respectively
In the Georgia area the averages were
s4So.45 and 1873. From these figures It
would appear that IL the farm family
is to live we'll il must raise much Of
what It consumes itself. and a further
analysis strengthens this conclusion
Few fruits and vegetables We're raised
on the Vermont farms and in consequence
these formed smaller part Of the total
food supply than In any other area ex-
cept Ohio The Vermont family made up
FOR this lack by the use OF groceries, 70 8
per cent Of which were purchased AS a
result the AVERAGE hill for groceries was
approximately 3lNa.& as compared with
an average for all the areas Of 500. 20
And yet, II we Judge by the total value
Of the food consumed by each person
In tho family, the Vermont family in It's
standard of living, ranked last In North
Carolina. the average family spent only
ter than in Vermont In this connection
1t is noteworthy that in a dairy section
half of the families bought butter and
that only % of milk and 1851 of ogTs
per person We're consumed The milk
of course, was reserved for sale. the
supply Of eggs. however could have
been greatly ncroa sod for the family's
benefit at a triflins OUTLAY of trouble
and expense, In Iowa the average con-
sumntion per person was IS 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
conditions may he held rosponsihle The
Investigation affords conclusive evidence
however that In Vermont as in many
other areas the farm is regarded too
much from the point 81 view NJ cash re-
turns and that the possibility Of making
1t Yield n revenue Of another hut equally
valuable kind is too much neglected And
II we turn from food to other factors in
the cost of living. the Importance OF this
revenue Is equally striking
Each Vermont farm supported an ay-
eragc Of as persons. so that in one way
necessary In order to supply the family
with necessities. But only a small part
OF this total expenditure took the form
or cash outlay. or the labor. for example.
only about per cent was paid for. the
rest being performed by members OF
the family HAD they done this work for
somebody elise, however they would have
been paid FOR IT, and II It had been per-
formed by somebody else they would
have had to pay In other words this
labor has cash value, and since II
adds to the comfort Of the family. must
be included IN the revenue from the farm.
The charge for rent must he consider
e1 In much the same way Tho value
~ the farm house Is usually included In
the value OF the land. and the whole re-
garded as tho capital which the farmer
has invested In his business If this is
done however II is only fair TO credit
the farm with having furnished IT. oc-
cnpans with shelter. which "a every
city worker knows. has a high cash value
On the Vermont farms included in the
investigation, the average annual value
or this shelter In other words. the house
rent was estimated at s93 a year, a fig
ure which included interest, depreciation
and repairs, but Is very low In compar-
ison with other areas.
ss6 Al worth of fuel was burned each
year, practically all Of which was wood
that came from the farm. This lends
point n the contention that tho average
farmer does not appreciate the roal valuv
or his woodlot Not only does II furnish
him directly IN this way with what II
the equivalent Of n considerable sum, but
properly cared for. can he made 10 re-
turn a cash revenue which is not TO he
des, 'sed.
This. however, Is merely a minor Illus
tration Of the general truth, revealed
anew by This investigation that the
cash crop which the AVERAGE farmer con-
eiders as his source Of income Is not
always the chief support Of his family.
Increasing home production IL an effee-
tive WY Of diminishing cash outlay.
and In many instances may serve the
farmers purpose better than an attempt
to increase cash receipts to meet increas-
ed expenses.
People Will not lose interest In the ADS