8 THE WESTERN FARMER 



quite a proportionate extent, but they do not come within 

 the scope of the present inquiry. 



Now let us see what is the actual amount which the 

 farmers (that is, soil-workers generally) spend yearly on the 

 goods produced by the manufacturers. 



In the first place, the six millions of agriculturists of 

 1870 must by this time have increased to at least 

 7,500,000, as will no doubt be seen by this year's census. 

 To be within the mark we will call them 7,000,000, 

 nearly all of them having wives and children. Now, 

 what is the average annual expenditure on all articles 

 of consumption, except food and drink, of each of these 

 families? On careful investigation, and consultation with 

 conscientious inquirers and with persons most competent to 

 judge, we feel confident that we are within the mark in 

 computing such annual expenditure at 200 dollars per 

 family, including within that average the small minority of 

 unmarried men among the 7,000,000 agriculturists. It must 

 be borne in mind that this amount includes : — i. Woollen, 

 cotton, linen, and silken fabrics, and, therefore, every species 

 of clothing for male and female, as also sheets, curtains, 

 blankets, carpets, &c. 2. Iron and steel manufactures, and 

 therefore all iron-work, wire, cutlery, tools, farming imple- 

 ments, farriery, agricultural machinery, as well as railway 

 conveyance on iron, which cost very much more than it would 

 have cost had it been imported from abroad. 3. Leathern 

 fabrics, and therefore boots and shoes, saddlery, gloves, &c. 

 4. Earthenware and crockery, tinware and glass, and num- 

 berless other household necessaries, all of which come under 

 the price-inflating influence of the Customs tariff. It is on 

 these objects that the greater portion of the agriculturist's 

 outgoings is expended, for he is but at little expense for 

 his food. Moreover, this yearly average of 200 dollars per 

 family comprises a large number of rich and well-to-do 

 persons, and it may safely be assumed as rather under than 

 over the reality. 



Having now cleared the way thus far, it is easy to calcu- 

 late the total sum annually spent on manufactured goods by 



