104 THE farmer's relationships. 



those of his district or state, then those of other states, and 

 finally those of all foreign wheat-producing countries. The 

 task seems hopeless and indeed is absolutely hopeless for the 

 individual farmer. The cost of obtaining, independently, 

 from original sources, the facts which tlie farmer needs to 

 know in order to act with reasonable intelligence in selling, 

 would in any year be more than the value of the crop and 

 the farm itself. 



The only thing which the farmer can do unaided, in this 

 case, is to familiarize himself with the physical geography of 

 all competing districts, the standard of life of their people, 

 and the length and character of the transportation routes 

 connecting them with the commercial center which fixes the 

 world's price of that particular commodity. The physical 

 facts will largely determine the size and character of the crop. 

 These are accessible. The best cyclopedias give them very 

 fully. The standard of life of the laboring class will deter- 

 mine the relative cost of the labor bestowed on the crop. This 

 he will get less from cyclopedias, although much as to this 

 can be learned from them, but more from good books of travel, 

 and similar publications. The nature of the transportation, 

 whether river, sea, or rail, and the relative length of each, will 

 enable him to compare his situation in that respect. Such 

 matters as national tariffs of course have to be considered 

 when one is in a business, but should not be regarded when 

 proposing to engage in one. Tariff protection is very uncer- 

 tain, as rates of duty are constantly changing. The farmer is 

 best situated for competition who can produce absolutely at 

 the least cost. 



Considered with reference to competition with his imme- 

 diate neighbors, the farmer's position varies according to his 

 product and his market. If producing a product of limited 

 use for the local market, and unsalable elsewhere — as the 

 market gardener — he is in intense competition with all neigh- 

 bors engaged in the same business. He needs to observe 

 the varieties, methods of culture, and methods of packing 

 employed by all in order to make sure that no one excels him. 

 If, however, he is engaged in producing the same commodities 



