REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 29 



facts in this matter, the Bureau of Statistics sent a letter to a large 

 number of retail dealers doing business with farmers. These dealers 

 were asked to (|uote the prices which prevailed in 1899 and in 1909, 

 taking care to compare articles of the same grades. In this way the 

 percentage of increase in the prices of about 85 articles commonly 

 used by farmers was determined. 



In three cases the prices were less in 1909 than in 1899; in four 

 cases they were the same; but in all other cases they had increased, 

 the increases running from 2.7 per cent in the case of manure spreaders 

 and mowers to 53.8 per cent in the case of brooms. Coffee increased 

 9.8 per cent; flour, 32.4: salt, 14.9; sugar, 8.7; overalls, 22.9; rubber 

 boots, 29 ; calico, 26.9 ; mushn, 25 ; and so on. For all the articles con- 

 sidered the average increase was 12.1 per cent. 



Now, compare this with the 72.7 per cent increase in the farm 

 value of the ten leading crops. The farmer has evidently benefited 

 more than the rest of the community — taken all together — from the 

 changes in values. 



Put the facts in another way. The produce of 1 acre of corn was 

 equal in value to 1.8 barrels of flour in 1899, but to 2.4 barrels in 

 1909. Or, it would buy 118.2 yards of muslin in 1899 and 168.9 

 yards in 1909. The average purchasing power of all crops similarly 

 increased from 2 barrels of flour in 1899 to 2.6 barrels in 1909, and 

 from 132.1 yards of muslin in 1899 to 182.4 yards in 1909. And so 

 with the whole list of articles used by farmers. 



The facts may also be put in the form of percentages by letting 

 100 represent the purchasing power of 1 acre of farm crops in 1899. 

 Then, in 1909 the purchasing power of 1 acre of corn is seen to have 

 increased 90 per cent when spent for coal oil, 62 for coffee, 33 for 

 flour, and 64 for sugar. Now, take the average purchasing power 

 of all crops. It increased 83 per cent when spent for coal oil, 57 

 for coffee, 30 for flour, 59 for sugar, and so on down the list. Taking 

 the average of all articles, corn increased 60 per cent in purchasing 

 power, wheat 91, and cotton 48, while the grand average increase 

 in purchasing power of all crops is 54 per cent. In other words, 

 the farmer has received a 54 per cent benefit from the changed 

 conditions. 



No one can pretend to understand all the forces at work in these 

 matters. Possibly the farmer's present advantage is due, in part, 

 to temporary conditions of supply and demand that may change 

 to his disadvantage. If it is also due in part to a greater appre- 

 ciation of the value of the farmer's work, tliat, too, is something 

 upon which no calculations can be based. 



But there is no sort of doubt that a great part of the farmer's 

 prosperity rests upon the bed rock of a greater output, a higher 

 yield per acre. That is to say, farmers and farming have become 



