MEANS OF ACQUIRING LAND 



bushel, of producing maize in Illinois as presented 

 in Bulletin No. 50. Before each statement of 

 costs is placed in parenthesis the number of re- 

 turns averaged. The county averages are so 

 arranged that they read in succession from the 

 highest to the lowest cost of production. (2) 

 38.8, (2) 31.5, (i) 29.5, (2) 28.5, (i) 26.8, 



(2) 25.8, (i) 25.4, (2) 25.4, (4) 23.9, (2) 22.2, 

 (i) 22.1, (2) 22.0, (2) 21.8, (i) 21.0, (i) 20.5, 



(6) 20.4, (6) 19.7, (2) 18.8, (2) 18.6, (3) 18.3, 



(1) 18.2, (4) 18.2, (5) 18.2, (2) 17.7, (5) 17.6, 

 (4) 17.6, (5) 17.5, (4) 17-4, (8) 17-3, (6) 17-3, 

 (9) 17.3, (6) 17.3, (2) 17.2, (4) 17-2, (2) 17.0, 



(3) 16.9, (3) 16.9, (12) 16.9, (2) 16.8, (8) 

 16.7, (6) 16.6, (i) 16.3, (3) 16.1, (4) 16.1, (i) 

 16.1, (i) 15.6, (i) 15.6, (3) 15.6, (23) 15.5, 

 (3) !5-3> (3) 15-2, (i) 15-2, (4) 15-2, (2) 15.1, 



(2) 15.1, (7) 15.0, (4) 15-0, (3) i4-9> (2) I47> 



(1) 14.6, (4) 14.6, (2) 14.2, (8) 14.2, (4) 14-0, 

 (8) 13.5, (2) 13.4, (2) 13.2, (2) 12.7, (i) 12.4, 



(2) 12.4, (i) 12.2, (i) u.8, (6) 1 1.6, (6) 11.3. 

 These figures show a variation in the cost of 



producing maize, ranging from 38.8 to 11.3 cents 

 per bushel. Could the returns of the separate 

 producers be compared, instead of the county 

 averages, a wider variation in costs would doubt- 

 less be found. 



This differential gain, or profit due to superior 

 ability is the condition which, even where gift 

 and inherited wealth are insignificant, make it 

 217 



