no READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



TABLE 5. AVERAGE WHOLESALE PRICES IN CITIES, 1840-1912 



(Continued) 



1 The prices of com for 1840 to 1891 are from "Wholesale Prices, Wages, and Trans- 

 portation," 52 Cong., 2 Sess., Senate Report 1394, Pt. 2, p. 7. The price for each year is the 

 average of the average prices for January, April, July, and October. The prices for 1892 to 

 1912 are for " No. 2 com" (U.S. Dept. Agr., Year Book, 1896, p. 579; 1900, p. 760; 1905, 

 p. 662 ; 1909, p. 441 ; 1912, p. 563). The price for each year from 1892 to 1896 is the aver- 

 age of the average prices for August, September, October, November, and December. The 

 prices for later years are for all months. In all cases in which monthly prices are given, the 

 average of the high and the low is taken as the price for that month. The yearly average 

 is the average of the monthly averages. Most of the com sold is graded as No. 2. The 

 months given are typical, so that the prices are comparable. 



2 Prices of wheat are from the references given in footnote i and are calculated by the 

 method there given. Winter wheat, 1840 to 1891, Senate Report, p. 63. 1892 to 1912 is 

 No. 2 red winter (U.S. Dept. Agr., Year Book, 1896, p. 580; 1900, p. 771 ; 1905, p. 673; 

 1909, p. 453; 1912, p. 575). 



8 Cotton prices are from U. S. Dept. Agr, Bureau of Statistics, Bulletin 9 ; U.S. Dept. 

 Labor, Bulletin 114, p. 93. 



4 Potato prices are for Boston from 185 1 to 1891, from Senate Report mentioned in 

 footnote I, p. 118. Prices 1892 to 1912 are for "fair to fancy" potatoes in Chicago, from 

 U. S. Dept. Labor, Bulletin 1 14, p. 108. Potatoes average a little higher in Chicago than in 

 New York. 



o Prices of oats are from the reference given in footnote i and are calculated by the 

 method there given (Senate Report, p. 32). Prices 1892 to 1912 are for No. 2 mixed 

 (U.S. Dept. Agr., Year Book, 1896, p. 581 ; 1900, p. 779 ; 1905, p. 680 ; 1909, p. 465 ; 1912, 

 p. 588). As in the case of com and wheat, most of the product sold is graded as No. 2, 

 hence the figures for different years are comparable. 



