REASONABLE 

 PROSPECTS 



retail prices were generally received by the plant- 

 ers. The U. S. Agricultural Department calcu- 

 lates that the farmer receives 60 per cent, of the 

 retail price. This gives him gross, $6037.50. 

 That is what he ought to get. 



Out of this he has to pay interest on mortgage 

 of say $1300, $78; taxes, $48; seed, $60, leaving 

 $5851.50 for wages, machinery, tools, food, cloth- 

 ing, insurance, repairs and general expenses. 



On this farm it takes two young men to do the 

 work, so we must divide all the items and the re- 

 sult in halves to represent the result of the work 

 of one. We find $2921.25 as his gross income, 

 after paying the interest, taxes and seed. 



On this showing he would do very well ; but see : 

 The farmer whose real expenditures we have 

 taken is forced to till poor land, and tills far too 

 much of it, and probably, cut off by his isolation 

 from the sources and stimulus of instruction, he 

 tills it badly, and the actual product is only 

 $264.50 for each man, less $93 each for the three 

 items specified, leaving $171.50 each for all other 

 expenses and for " profit." That is what he does 

 get. 



