TWENTIETH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII 749 



6. Manufacturers and distributors of farm machinery and other com- 

 modities essential to farmers, can more intelligently and prudently pur- 

 chase raw materials and plan their output and distribution when fully 

 advised as to crop prospects in the various sections of the country through 

 accurate, official reports. In this way distribution can be most econom- 

 ically done. Faulty distribution, resulting in long holding in stock or 

 unnecessary transportation, adds to the cost, and the farmer "pays the 

 freight." By avoiding heavy losses from improper distribution, the man- 

 ufacturers can afford to sell on better terms with resulting benefit to 

 farmers. 



7. Banks and financial institutions use current official live stock and 

 crop data in providing funds for financing the growing, storage, market- 

 ing and movement of farm products. 



8. Wise legislation affecting farmers' interests cannot be enacted with- 

 out accurate, detailed and up-to-date agricultural statistics. Official crop 

 reports supply this information. 



9. When farmers' organizations lay out a program of action, the first 

 need that confronts them is accurate, unbiased records of agricultural 

 production. The best obtainable information is in the official crop reports. 

 These can be made better, that is, more detailed, more inclusive, by the 

 earnest co-operation of these organizations with the official crop report- 

 ing service. 



10. Such grain and produce buyers as are earnestly striving to render 

 intelligent service to their communities in return for reasonable profits, 

 welcome dependable official crop reports. The steadying influence these 

 reports have upon the market, makes it safe for them to handle farm 

 products on a narrower margin which means higher prices to the farmer. 

 Where they are dealing on a straight market and unbiased by speculative 

 transactions they are enabled by intelligent use of the reports, to ad- 

 vise their farmer patrons in marketing matters, to their mutual advan- 

 tage. Through years of experience in cleaning, handling, storing, trans- 

 porting and marketing farm products, these men acquire a fund of experi- 

 ence that is of value to the community. 



11. Finally, whenever a farmer furnishes careful, conscientious infor- 

 mation for an official crop report, he is helping himself, his brother farm- 

 ers, his community as a whole, and his State, and is doing his bit to assist 

 his city cousins in their struggle against the high cost of living. 



^ NOTES PROM THE DECEMBER 1 CROP REPORT. 



About 60 per cent of farm lands to be plowed was completed Decem- 

 ber 1. 



The wages of male farm labor in Iowa during 1919 were as follows: 

 Average rate per month when hired by the year with board, $55.65, with- 

 out board, $71.43; average wage per day for day labor for harvest work 

 with board, $4.46, without board, $5.20; average wage per day for day 

 labor for other than harvest work with board, $3.46, without board, $4.24. 



The average number of cords of firewood burned per farm, 1919, is 

 estimated at 9 cords, with an average price of $5.91 



