numbers of farmers by the agricultural journals. They 

 have been the medium for the interchange of farm 

 experiences. 



Agricultural journals which keep abreast of the 

 times and which serve the needs of the modern scien- 

 tific business farmer are playing a great and increas- 

 ing part in raising agriculture to a new and higher 

 level of income and of living. 



All of these influences, and many others, are doing 

 two things of fundamental importance : They are in- 

 creasing the buying power of the farm family, and they 

 are raising the standard of living on the farm that 

 is, they are arousing in the farm family a desire for a 

 greater variety and a better quality of merchandise. 



Rising Standard of Living on the Farm 



The first and fundamental factor in determining 

 the amount and kind of merchandise which an indi- 

 vidual or a group of people purchase is buying power 

 that is, the amount of money and credit they have to 

 buy with. 



The second factor is the standard of living. To 

 illustrate, thousands of farm families are financially 

 able to have a water system and a bathtub in the house 

 who do not as yet have these conveniences. 



However, the standard of living on the farm is 

 rapidly rising. More farm homes are being provided 

 with modern conveniences furnaces, water and light- 

 ing systems. These in turn stimulate a demand for 

 better rugs and house furnishings and better clothes. 

 A wider variety of food is now served on the farm table. 

 Better linen and china are used. More labor-saving 

 equipment is being installed in farm homes. In al- 

 most every line the taste of the farm family is being 

 improved. 



[55] 



