SHALL I BE A FARMER? 21 



city tenant has only a rented home, we must remember 

 that there are farm tenants who have the same conditions. 



The relative profits on the farm and in the city vary from 

 time to time, as there are cycles of over and under produc- 

 tion of farmers. From 1870 to 1895, farm opportunities 

 were very poor compared with the city. This is now 

 being followed by better times for farmers and will probably 

 again be followed by overproduction within a generation. 

 The cycles of good and bad times on farms last for about a 

 generation. 



Farming is a conservative business. Money invested in 

 it is comparatively safe, but it is evident that it does not 

 offer much opportunity to make a fortune. Neither is 

 there so great danger of poverty as in the city. The city 

 is a place of extremes. The farm is more moderate both 

 in its successes and in its failures. It is not often that a 

 person engaged in farming can retire while young, but it is 

 possible to make a good living by farming. AVith diligence 

 and good management, one may hope to make a com- 

 fortable living on a farm, to be able to travel some, to be 

 able to send his children to college, and to have something 

 for his old age. Beyond this, it is doubtful if much of an 

 estate is for the best welfare of his children. 



COST OF LIVING ON FARMS 



17. Cost of living on farms and in cities. While the 

 usual pay that the farmer gets for his time is small, yet 

 the living expenses are also low. It is usually said that 

 the farmer gets half his living from the farm. While 

 there are many exceptions, it is probable that this is about 

 right on the average. The food for families in New York 

 City in 1907 with an income of $1000 per year cost on the 

 average about $451. Families with $1500 income spend 



