426 Missouri Agriciill iirdl Report. 



merchants, liy-by-iiight drummers, agents and salesmen; increase in cost 

 of farming implements, high rates of interest, shipping products and 

 stock at a profit, seed corn fakers, wet land and lack of drainage, too 

 many mortgages, expense between producer and consumer, housework, 

 careless farming, making a living for wife and kids, unsteady prices for 

 grain and live stock, others fixing both the buying and the selling price, 

 changing seasons, poor crops, borers in apple trees, tariff, bought legis- 

 lators, representatives in legislature, class legislation, need government 

 ownership of public utilities; people, not trusts, should control; pro- 

 tection instead of unreasonable, hurtful and sumptuary legislation ; hav- 

 ing to contend with private ownership of public utilities ; politicians and 

 professional office seekers; high cost of official administrations; how to 

 obtain fair, honest and intelligent legislation ; the enormous running ex- 

 penses of the government. 



It might possibly be said of some of the replies received that they 

 are more interesting than valuable, yet they are valuable because of the 

 fact that they are from farmers, not theorists. 



REPLIES FROM FARM V^OMEN. 



"What one change or improvement about the farm house would, in 

 your opinion, be of the greatest benefit to the housewife? In other 

 words, what one would you rather have?" Of 361 Missouri farm women 

 who replied to this question 193, or more than 53 per cent, answered, in 

 substance, "Some system of running water in the house." Forty re- 

 plies, or more than 11 per cent, expressed a wish for gas or other modern 

 lighting system. The need of a furnace or other modern heating system 

 is mentioned by 27. or 8 per cent of those who replied. The following 

 were among other replies received : 



Gopd help, 6 ; more conveniences, 6 ; concrete porches and floors, 6 ; 

 more convenient dwelling, 5 ; modern kitchen, 5 ; basement or cellar, 5 ; 

 power to run washing machine and churn, 3 ; sewers, 3 ; more good house 

 room, 2 ; more convenient outhouses, 2 ; to get rid of flies, 2 ; best wash- 

 ing machine made, 2; ice house, 2; laundry, 2. 



Replies of which there was but one each were: summer laundry, 

 summer kitchen, model kitchen, washroom, dairy room, cold storage 

 room, patent churn, pantry, concrete cellar, windmill, screens, dining 

 room, cream separator, summer house, automatic range or cook stove, a 

 cool way to cook, wash and iron ; a way to cook without fire, modern 

 plumbing, less lielp and more conveniences, gasoline power, oil stove, a 

 practical fireless cooker, way to keep milk, means to keep poultry better, 



