THE FARMER'S STANDARD OF LIVING 3 
Comparisons of these studies and those made later among groups 
of somewhat higher incomes led to the broad generalization that, as 
the income increases, the percentage or the proportion of the income 
devoted to the satisfaction of cultural wants increases and that the 
proportion of the total expenditures spent for cultural purposes or 
advancement may be regarded as an index of the standard of living. 
A variation of the amount of money spent, that is, of the value of 
goods used annually, by the families of the present study is the pro- 
portion of the total value of family living furnished by the farm. 
This is given some consideration as a measure of the standard of 
living. Usually from one-third to one-half of the value of the farm 
family's living represents food products, use of the house, and fuel 
furnished from the farm. This part of the family living is not to be 
had free of cost to the farmer, however. It represents labor (paid 
and unpaid), capital, and sometimes credit, if not a small outlay of 
cash for storage purposes or for preparation of the goods which are 
furnished. 
The cost of living, or the value of all goods used, including the 
distribution of this value among the principal groups of goods and 
the proportion of this value furnished by the farm is accepted as a 
measure of the standard of living in the present summary and 
analysis with a realization of its many deficiencies. In the first 
place market costs or estimated values may not always represent the 
actual value of these goods. This is true with regard to the esti- 
mated values of goods furnished by the farm which values are often 
very arbitrary. 
Again, the outgo per year for food may be a poor indication of 
how well the different individuals of the household are nourished, 
because prices of foods seldom correspond to nutritive values of 
foods. Money spent for clothing during one year may not always 
indicate how well the persons composing the family are clad. The 
money value of the house, regardless of how arbitrary this value may 
be, may give little or no suggestions of the comforts and satisfactions 
which the house, with its surroundings, provides as a home. Ex- 
penditures for schooling, for travel, and for recreation may not be 
indicative of the knowledge, the opportunities, and the satisfactions 
accruing to those for whom these expenditures have been made. 
Finally, the cost of living or the value of economic goods gives 
little indication of the amount of leisure time available for the full- 
est use of these goods, goods of an intangible nature especially. 
The expenditures for pictures, books, or musical instruments contrib- 
ute meagerly toward raising the standard of living if leisure time 
is not available for appreciating the pictures, reading the books, 
or playing the instruments. The standard of living can not be 
raised effectively through the expenditure of more money, if long 
days of monotonous labor prevent the fullest use of goods obtainable 
with more ample funds. 
These and other deficiencies point to the need of many detailed 
studies of the adequacy of food, clothing, housing, operation goods 
and other goods, and to the use of time among farm families. 
Qualities as well as quantities of the economic goods used need care- 
ful and thorough analysis. Length of the work day and hours of 
leisure call for detailed study in relation to the use of goods by the 
farm family. 
