RURAL ECONOMICS. 491 



the official findings of a conmiitteo of the German section of the agricultural 

 C'ouucil of Bohemia. 



Contrary to the popular opinion that the fai'mer is reaping the heneflt of the 

 increased price of farm products, it is pointed out that the cost of raising meat, 

 dairy products, and other goods has steadily increased so that as a matter of 

 fact the farmer gets less returns for his labor to-day than he did a few years 

 ago and the agricultural industry is becoming less profitable from year to year. 

 This result is due to the increased price farmers have to pay for labor and 

 necessary supplies while receiving no higher price for their own pi'oducts. 

 If any increased profit is made, it is reaped by the middleman and not by the 

 farmer. The general economic tendency of the increased price of agricultural 

 products has been to involve wage-earners in debt. It is the opinion of the com- 

 mittee, with which the whole section concurs, that for the government to 

 encourage agriculture is not only to make provision for a sound and vigorous 

 population but also to provide itself with unlimited means of support. 



The economic limits of intensive culture in agriculture, B. Bauriedl 

 (Osterr. Uiujar. Ztschr. Zuckcnndus. ». Lundiv., 38 (1909), No. 3, pt). 317- 

 325). — This article discusses the economic limits under which successful farm- 

 ing can be conducted, the purjtose being to show that there are many factors 

 affecting the cost of raising products which, when certain limits in the expendi- 

 ture of capital and labor have been reached, can not be passed in any system 

 of intensive culture without a diminution in net returns to the producer. 



Among the factors mentioned are the system of management, crops raised, 

 location of the house and buildings on the farm, distance of the farm from 

 markets, farm work animals, wages of laborers, utilization of manures, and 

 the raising of live stock. It is maintained that, if a farmer knows all the 

 elements of cost entering Into any particular farm undertaking, he will so 

 regulate his operations as to yield the largest net returns, and that a good farm 

 manager never loses sight of this ultimate end of his labor. 



Farm labor and the cost of production, P. G. Craigie (Irish Farming World, 

 22 (1909), Kos. 1131, p. 1103; 1132, p. 1128; 1133, p. 11J,7; 113',, p. 1175).— 

 This is a discussion of the classes of farm labor in the United Kingdom, the 

 changes in wages, the use of machinery, the cost of keeping farm stock used in 

 operating a farm, and the bearing of these data on the cost of producing farm 

 products. 



Farm labor in Mexico, C. M. Freeman (Daily Cons, and Trade Rpts. [U.S.], 

 No. 3660, p. 9). — A brief statement is given as to the economic conditions 

 under which farm tenants work in the province of Durango. 



Corn raising is described as a very profitable feature of farming in that prov- 

 ince. The renter signs a contract to give the landowner one-half the produce 

 clear of all expenses. The corn is husked by men who get 50 cts. Mexican per 

 day each, and the expense is charged to the renter whose field is being worked. 

 After all accounts are settled, the corn is divided evenly between owner and 

 renter. " However, little is coming to the renter besides enough to last him 

 until spring, and often the ranch owner has to commence selling to the renter, 

 as early as February, corn at a big profit, the corn to be credited on the next 

 season's crop. Com taken from renters at husking is credited at $3.50 Mexican 

 per hectoliter [about 62 cts. per bushel]. Corn sold to renters in the spring 

 brings $5 to $5.50 Mexican per hectoliter." 



The social and economic position of city and farm laborers, A. Hoff- 

 MEisTER (Illus. Landw. Ztg., 29 (1909), No. 89, pp. 831-833) .—This, is a com- 

 parative study of the relative economic and social conditions of laborers in 

 Berlin, Hamburg, and smaller cities of Germany and of farm laborers in dif- 

 ferent parts of the country. 



