The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-02
FARM LIVING Is HIGH
COSTS INQUIRY MADE BY
UNCLE SAMUEL
City and Country Standards
Shown BY Agricultural
apartment

Investigations into the living costs
Of farmers In different parts Of the
country have been started By the
United States department Of ssri-
culture, the results Of which are ex-
pected to be Of value in comparing
country and city standards Of living,
and In determining whether farmers
get adequate returns ,-d N . Scmtort
|penditures. Knowledge Of farm
standards Of living 10 also needed
in the development OF educational
extension program, II they are to
touch on other phases Of agriculture
than simply those Of production.
These Inquiries were begin with
q study of an area in Livingston
county, New York, which was chosen
because It IL typical OF moderately
successful general farming. It was
not desired at the outset to paint a
picture too dark or too light. The
ultimate object 10 TO get . general
view OF farm living conditions
throughout the country, but as this
task will necessarily take much time
1t was thought advisable to start
with locality whore farming Is
generally recognised as moderately
profitable. and where diversified
These conditions are met In Living
ston county, New York. The area
studied produces hay, corn for grain
and silage, wheat, oats, beans, cab
bage, and sweet corn and peas for
canning.
Economists Of the department OF
agriculture cooperated in the In.
yestigatiop with the New York State
college Of agriculture at Cornell uni.
versity. The investigation covered
400 farms, representing about II per
cent of the total number in the
country and having an average size
OF 131 acres. OF the 400 farmers
represented in the study, 295 were
owners and lot tenants. The data
gathered showed the cost OF value
Of the principal goods consumed
during the twelve months ended
indicated that the area studied rep
resents better than average farm
ing conditions, they are not untypi-
cal OF things in many other fairly
prosperous agricultural communities,
and when supplemented with data
gained from investigations in other
regions will furnish useful material
for economists and statistieians.
Average Expenditure Over $1,000
Average expenditure by the farm
families in question was $2,012 in
the twelve months. About one-third
Of this sum was provided without d.
rect purchase. That 10 to say 1t
came from food materials and fuel
obtained from the farms, from oc-
cupancy OF the farm home. and from
Nd 60.
was 1915 per cent OF the total: for
clothing 1873 per cent: for health
maintenance Al per cent: for edu-
cation, church and social activities,
recreation, etc., 1879 per cent: and
for personal items Ia per cent.
The average value Of the farm
homes was estimated at s2,240.
Water was piped into 1913 per cent
Of the houses, and gas or electric
light was found In 24.6 per cent.
These figures are considerably high
er than the average for New York
state as a whole, according to the
1920 census. The average value OF
house furnishings were estimated at
1892. In many houses not all the
rooms were In use: no overcrowding
were 1.9 rooms Of all kinds and one
Apparently the Livingston county
families devoted about one. sixth OF
their income to expenditures for
Advancement" In which category
the investigators include travel, va
cation trips, automobiles, and appar-
atus and supplies for amateur scien-
the work, as well as formal educa-
ton and church and social work. The
largest single advertisement" item
was the cost Of operating and repair
Ing the automobile. The figure aver
aged $65. Cars were owned by 304
or 1915 per cent OF the farmers in
cluded In the study The 1920 cen
sus gives 30.7 per cent az the av-
erage number Of farmers owning
automobiles throughout the coun-
try. Next to expenditure for auto
mobiles. the largest item undef
advancement" was contributions
to church expenditure, which ay.
eraged $40 family.
Money for Education Runs Low.
Expenditure for education, which
included the cost OF tuition, books,
board, lodging and travel, was $50,
or LIS per cent Of the total. In 80. g
per cent Of 165 families with children
il years or older, at least one child
had finished the high school; In 29.4
per cent Of 90 families having child.
rem % years or older, at least one
child had been to college for one
year or more. IT was noted that