504 RURAL SOCIOLOGY 



edge of market conditions, such as spoilage in food products, 

 forced sales of products due to lack of credit, and market 

 gluts. 



8. The Reinvestment of Farm Profits is not as yet a burning 

 question but it is not unimportant. Why can not farmers utilize 

 their surplus, when they have it, for the building up of the com- 

 munity in which they live ? 



IV. THE PROBLEM OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FARM 



1. The Farm and its Equipment. It would be very helpful 

 to have a standardization of farms on the basis of the most eco- 

 nomic type and size of farm and the amount of capital and equip- 

 ment in stock and machinery needed to operate the farm to best 

 advantage 



2. The Permanent Improvement of the Farm. How can the 

 farmer best secure a gradual improvement of his stock, complete 

 a system of under drainage, provide economic but adequate and 

 convenient buildings, and utilize labor-saving devices? 



3. Bookkeeping and Accounting. There is great need of 

 adequate records and accounts simplified so that the average 

 farmer can follow the plan. There are really two problems, 

 one that of accurate business accounts and the other that of 

 proper records which when interpreted will help the farmer to 

 adjust his methods of management to the securing of greater 

 economies of time and labor. 



4. The Use of Labor. How may labor be secured at any price 

 and how retained? One of the big questions is how to employ 

 during the winter months farm labor needed only during the 

 growing season, in order that labor may be satisfied and be avail- 

 able more continuously for the farmer. 



V. THE IMPROVEMENT OF FARM LIFE 



Means of Communication. It has been said that the problem 

 of the city is congestion and the problem of the country isolation. 

 In the city there are too many people to the square mile ; in 

 the country there are too few. Rural free mail delivery, the 

 rural telephone, the rural trolley, to a degree, and the auto- 

 mobile have quite changed the aspect of country life. The 

 problem is not yet solved, however, the greatest difficulty being 



