FARMERS' MONTHLY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY 



11 



THE FAMILY LIVING FROM 

 THE FARM 



Above their cash income from the farm, 

 farmers have other income in the form 

 of food products which they set aside for- 

 consumption by their families, use of 

 houses for their shelter, and some fuel for 

 use in their homes. These items in the 

 aggregate represent an appreciable part 

 , of the cost of living of farm families on 



^) the one hand and of the returns from the 



farm business on the other. 



Data collected by the Department of 

 Agriculture from several thousand farms 

 show that the value of the family living 

 at farm prices approximates one-third 

 the cost of living of farm families, and 

 two-thirds the cost of food, fuel, and 

 house rent. It is one-ninth the farm re- 

 ceipts, and one-third the farm income. 



Variations with localities, with annual 

 production with years of prosperity and 

 depression, and with different families, 

 accompany these approximations, the de- 

 partment points out. In 1918 and 1919, 

 years of agricultural prosperity, the 

 value of the family living from the farm 

 was only about one-fifth as much as the 

 farm income; but in 1921 and 1922, years 

 of agricultural depression, it was fully 

 one-third as much. 



The family living from the farm lends 

 safety and stability to the farm business 

 -,. and to farm life, the department says. 



^/ It enables the farmer to reduce materially 



the cash cost of living and to tide over 

 lean years and hard times that would be 

 ruinous if he had to buy all the living 

 for himself and family on the market. 



It should not be inferred, however, the 

 department points out, that this living is 

 obtained entirely free of cost to the farm- 

 er. The direct money cost for some of the 

 items may be little, but the production of 

 the several times represents labor, capital, 

 and sometimes cash outlay for materials. 

 Much of the labor, however, is performed 

 as an insignificant part of the main labor 

 of the farm business, at times when the 

 work of the main business is not urgent, 

 and often by the wife and children. 



Much of the capital employed in the 

 production of the food items of the family 

 living from the farm is necessary for the 

 farm business, the survey shows, and is 

 at hand, and the materials used in their 

 i ' production are sometimes by-products or 



wastes from the business. Frecjuently 

 some of the family living from the farm 

 has little or no market value, and some 

 of it is not of the better market grades. 



Farm families often utilize small po- 

 tatoes, overripe or undersized fruits, eggs 

 with soiled shells, and other low grade 

 produce. Many of the garden vegetables 

 grown on the farms in some localities can 

 not be sold. On the other hand, the hogs, 

 butter, poultry, and similar products, 

 which go to make up part of the family 



living from the farm, usually have a 

 ready market. The value of the house 

 rent includes interest and depreciation on 

 the house, and the cash costs of insurance, 

 taxes, and repairs. 



Detailed results of the department's 

 survey have been printed in Department 

 Bulletin No. 1388, entitled '"The Family 

 Living From the Farm," copies of which 

 may be obtained free from the depart- 

 ment, at Washington, as long as the sup- 

 ply lasts, and thereafter at a cost of 5 

 cents each from the Government Print- 

 ing Office, Washington, D. C. 



AGRICULTURAL STATIONS 



STUDYING 5,538 PROBLEMS 



Many important problems in agricul- 

 ture are being gradually solved by the 

 experiment stations and the grist of 

 knowledge given to the public. During 

 the year 1924-2.5 the various State ex- 

 periment stations were conducting proj- 

 ects dealing with .5, .5.38 different phases 

 of agriculture, an average of 110 proj- 

 ects per station. In some instances proj- 

 ects are finished in one year, but in many 

 cases several years may be required to 

 complete the investigations and make the 

 results applicable in practice. 



A classified list of the different proj- 

 ects now being carried on by the sta- 

 tions has been prepared by the Office of 

 Experiment Stations of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, which 

 shows the wide range of subject matter 

 covered by the experimental work. 



Projects dealing with field crops lead 

 in number, with a total of 1,817. Of the 

 field crops under study, corn leads with 

 170 or more projects, wheat follows with 

 164, potatoes 162, cotton 99, alfalfa 82, 

 oats 81, and soy beans 58. 



Horticulture comes second with 952 

 piojects, of which over 400 deal with 

 orchard fruits, the leading fruits being 

 vpples 115 and peaches 45; 135 in small 

 fruits; 275 with vegetables, the leading 

 representative of which is tomatoes 34; 

 65 with ornamentals; and 50 with nuts, 

 the largest representatives of which are 

 pecans 20 and walnuts 13. 



The third largest gToup is animal pro- 

 duction with 926 projects, including 

 among others poultry 205, dairy cattle 

 191, swine 189, sheep and goats 81, beef 

 cattle 77, and horses and mules 12. 



Plant pathology is another large group 

 having 482 projects, of which 47 deal 

 with potato diseases. 



Projects in economic entomology num- 

 ber 472, 38 of which relate to bees and 22 

 to cotton insects. 



I RAISE HEALTHY CHICKS! 



I 

 I 



I 



CORROSIVE SUBLIIVIATE 

 is valuable for 



'j; Disinfecting Brooder Houses and Yards 



Iff. 



We carry it in powdered form 



(I Put up in the size package you need 

 * It is cheaper by the pound 



I WISWELL THE DRUGGIST 



:/: 52 Main Street 



\lf, Northampton, 



Mass. 



New300S£iantem 



^iTHE ^ 

 DJAMOhiOs 

 g£LIGHT= 



COSIS LESS IHAN J^c 

 PER HOUR TO OPERATE 



This wonderful new Lantern operates on less 

 chan half the fuel required for one ordinary wick 

 lantern and gives almost 100 times more light. It 

 .s brighter and cheaper than electricity or gas — the 

 most remarkable scientifically developed light of the 

 age. Gives a powerful white light, like daylight. A 

 great light for farmers, contractors, hunters, trap- 

 pers, or anyone with work to do at night. Just the 

 thing to hang in the poultry house nights and 

 mornings to lengthen the working days of the hens, 

 thereby increasing egg production. 



Burns Kerosene or Gasoline 

 Absolutely Safe 



The Lantern operates on kerosene or gasoline, 

 giving the same brilliant 300 candle power light with 

 either fuel. It is absolutely safe, as there is posi- 

 tively no danger even if upset. Can be carried any- 

 where — indoors or outside. Won't blow out in the 

 strongest wind. It is stnokeless and odorless — no 

 wicks to trim, no chimneys to clean. 



Let me show you this handy Lantern at your 

 home and demonstrate its 300 candle power brilli- 

 ance. A demonstration doesn't obligate you in any 

 way. Just drop a post card to — 



ROBERT L. CUDWORTH 



Cummington, Mass. 



