LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN r\o. cop .2 AGKiCUL i Ur\L HO.N CIRCULATING CHECK FOR UNBOUND CIRCULATING CORY UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS Agricultural Experiment Station BULLETIN No. 326 DEVELOPMENTAL STUDY OF A RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA BY H. W. MUMFORD, C. L. STEWART, H. C. M. CASE, AND P. E. JOHNSTON URBANA, ILLINOIS, MAY, 1929 CONTENTS PAGE FOREWORD 131 OBJECT OF STUDY 135 DESCRIPTION OF TRADE AREA 136 INBOUND AND OUTBOUND SHIPMENTS OF FARM PRODUCTS. ... 143 FARM PURCHASES AND SALES 146 TYPES OF FARMING IN THE AREA 146 FARM EARNINGS 149 ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF TYPICAL FARMS 153 HOME EQUIPMENT ON FARMS 155 THE LOCAL SITUATION AS TO PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF FARM COMMODITIES 157 Field Crops 158 Meat Animals 160 Dairy Products 162 Poultry and Eggs 167 Fruits 171 Potatoes 174 Vegetables 178 ADDITIONAL ASPECTS OF THE MARKETING SITUATION 179 Transportation 179 Price Margins 179 Cooperative Shipping of Livestock 182 Roadside Markets 184 THE SITUATION SUMMARIZED 185 RECOMMENDATIONS 189 COORDINATING THE EFFORTS OF VARIOUS AGENCIES 190 APPENDIX.. . 191 FOREWORD There has been a desire on the part of Chambers and Associations of Commerce in the cities of the Middle West, in recent years, to be of some constructive assistance to the farmers of their trade areas. Particularly has this desire been expressed during the present pro- longed period of farm depression, and it has led to action in a variety of ways. Some of the efforts of urban organizations to assist in the betterment of farm conditions have been helpful, and others ill-advised and harmful. Out of it all, however, has come a growing appreciation of the fact that the farm problem is not a simple but a complex one, and that while the generally recognized remedies might help they could not correct the difficulties that surround the farm business. Because the farmers' difficulties are complex, it is obvious that the first step in organizing a constructive program for an area is to ascer- tain some of the basic facts that have a bearing on the local situation. The impression prevails, particularly in cities among people who are not working with farmers' problems, that there are some rather major farm adjustments that need to be made, and many opinions are ex- pressed as to just what these major adjustments should be. While it is evident that there are a considerable number of things in connection with better farm practice that need more general adoption, it is ob- vious that any major adjustments such as,- let us say, a complete change in the general type of farming in an area, should not be made until a careful study of the situation indicates that the change is de- sirable. Furthermore, it is important that surveys or studies made to determine what adjustments in the farming of an area are desirable should be undertaken by such agencies and in such a way that farmers 'will have confidence that the conclusions are sound, and that the changes suggested are made with a view to improving the farm situa- tion rather than merely to the further building up of the business of the cities. When such a study has been made and recommendations and con- clusions determined, then it is important that the various institutions and organizations representing farmers, business men, and consumers cooperate to the end that each may take the responsibility for accom- plishing those things which can be accomplished most effectively with the groups they represent. This joining of efforts and differentiating of activities is essential if desirable results are to be accomplished. It is recognized that farmers and city people have many problems in addition to those covered in the present study. Business enterprises involved in the local handling of farm commodities, whether produced on the farms of the area or shipped in, and whether destined for urban or rural consumption, may well be studied from time to time to de- termine how efficiently they are meeting the needs of the community. 131 More efficient merchandizing service for farmers as regards goods for household use and supplies used directly in farm production are also proper objects of study. Short- time credits during periods of produc- tion and marketing, and long-time credits for permanent improvements in the facilities for production and marketing likewise are problems deserving attention. Turning to the field of public policies, more at- tention might well be given to studies of highway systems connecting farms and markets, public school systems, and the administration of sound regulations for the protection of the health and well-being of farm and city populations. More facts are needed as to the benefits and burdens of taxation as they affect the urban and rural portions of the area. The adequacy of various social agencies from the stand- point of the common interests of the rural and urban groups is also a matter for attention. Business and other civic groups, both in city and country, can well afford to accept the challenge which these problems offer. By selecting for critical examination first one phase of the community's problems and then another, possibly reexamining conditions as changes seem to warrant, a community can keep its developmental program on a factual foundation. The development of the present study was the outgrowth of the desire of the Moline Association of Commerce to do what it could, from a city angle, to contribute to the improvement of agricultural conditions in the farming area in which it is situated. Following pre- liminary correspondence and discussions between the College of Agri- culture of the University of Illinois and the officers of the Moline Association, a conference of the various agencies that it was believed would be interested in such a project was arranged in July, 1928. Representatives of the Rock Island County Farm Bureau, the Rock Island County Home Bureau, the Moline Association of Com- merce, the Rock Island Chamber of Commerce, the University of Illi- nois, the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber of Commerce of the United States were present at this or subsequent conferences. At the first conference it was agreed that before attempting to make recommendations looking toward the improving of farm conditions in the area, it would be necessary to secure more information concerning the local situation. The Moline Association of Commerce took the initiative in pledg- ing the financial aid for the study and asked the Agricultural Experi- ment Station of the University of Illinois, because of experience and previous interest in such work, to prepare plans, select the personnel, direct the study, and interpret the results. This bulletin sets forth the principal pertinent facts, with interpretations and recommenda- tions, resulting from the study. 132 The successful completion of a study of this kind is dependent upon the hearty cooperation of all interested agencies and upon the help of technical specialists in the fields covered. To the agencies already mentioned, and to the public school officials and teachers in the area, acknowledgment is made for cooperation in gathering new information and for helpful suggestions. Recognition is also due the various de- partments of the College of Agriculture and Agricultural Experiment Station, all of which made definite contributions to the study. In this connection the names of the following members of the staff call for special mention: G. L. Jordan, J. W. Lloyd, C. A. Brown, J. J. Pieper, R. C. Ashby, L. F. Rickey, and Grace B. Armstrong. K. H. Myers, 'E. G. Fruin, R. I. Nowell, R. H. Reuss, C. B. Shuman, and W. W. Wilcox were temporarily employed to help in gathering and assembling the field data. THE AUTHORS 133 LOCATION OF AREA STUDIED 134 DEVELOPMENTAL STUDY OF A RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA BY H. W. MUMFORD, C. L. STEWART, H. C. M. CASE, AND P. E. JOHNSTON 1 Most cities of Illinois, like those of many other parts of the United States, are directly concerned with the agriculture of the region in which they are located. They have recognized this, but perhaps not so immediately as formerly since, owing to various economic develop- ments, farm depression is not so quickly reflected to trade and industry as it once was. When a large proportion of farmers were able to de- liver their products directly to urban consumers, there was opportuni- ty for interchange of points of view, and it was possible for producers and consumers to keep informed of one another's needs. With the de- velopments that have given rise to various trade agencies, however, and with the increasing ratio of urban to rural population, producers and consumers have had less occasion for immediate contact, and the need for carefully directed efforts to make their interrelations better understood has become increasingly felt. A careful analysis of the farming situation in a local trade area, showing what the level of farm earnings is and how the maturing of American agriculture has brought new production problems, should enable the city dweller to understand better the problems of the pro- ducer. At the same time, the local producer, by knowing what the consumer wants and what his preferences are for products of certain grades delivered in certain conditions, may frequently so order his farm production as to meet more nearly the demands of the consumers and to profit by so doing. OBJECT AND PLAN OF STUDY The purpose of this study was to determine what, if anything, might be done to develop or improve the agriculture of a rural-urban area in northwestern Illinois, so that ultimately the farmers of the area, with the cooperation of the cities, might obtain a more adequate income and a more satisfying farm life. The study deals, on the one hand, with the production and marketing of products grown on farms in the area and, on the other hand, with the consumption from month to month of farm products, whether grown within the area or shipped in from outside. *H. W. MUMFORD, Director, Agricultural Experiment Station; C. L. STEWART, Chief in Agricultural Economics; H. C. M. CASE, Chief in Farm Organization and Management; and. P. E. JOHNSTON, Associate in Farm Organization and Management. 135 136 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, Investigators collected facts from consumers, dealers, transportation agencies, farmers, and others interested in consumption, distribution, and production of agricultural commodities in the area. New informa- tion was obtained from three sources: (1) from accounts kept by farmers in the area; (2) from questionnaires filled out by teachers and pupils in the rural schools; and (3) from schedules which special field workers used for recording facts and opinions obtained in inter- views and from records opened to them for inspection. The schedules used by the special field workers covered the following subjects: (a) Consumer demand for eggs, poultry, dairy products, potatoes, other vegetables, and fruits, as indicated by statements of housewives and of proprietors of hotels and restaurants. (b) Inbound and outbound shipments of farm products moved by various types of transporting agencies. (c) Availability and extent of use of warehouse facilities, includ- ing cold storage plants, for storing farm products. (d) Volumes of farm products purchased and sold by wholesale and retail dealers, the quality and condition of local produce handled, and related information. (e) Marketing of farm products thru roadside stands. (f) Monthly wage and salary payments to employees by impor- tant industrial concerns, reflecting the seasonal and other changes in the earnings of these purchasers of farm products. In addition to the above there was already in the possession of the Experiment Station considerable information regarding the farming of the area. This has been .used in rounding out the study. Informa- tion from the United States Census and from other agencies has also been drawn upon. In showing the extent to which local demands for farm products are being met by local production, the study points the way both to adjustments which the farmers of the area might profitably make in their production and marketing, and to activities which might be undertaken in the cities to develop better markets for locally grown products. DESCRIPTION OF TRADE AREA Location. The trade area included in the study may be described as centering in Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, and Silvis, in north- western Illinois, and to some extent in Davenport and other points in eastern Iowa (Fig. 1). Except where otherwise indicated, all ref- erences to "the area" relate to Illinois territory that is in local trad- ing relations with Moline and adjoining cities. Since these four cities are situated so close together it would not be to the point, even if it were possible, to isolate the trade contacts of any one of them for special study. 1929] STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 137 Across the Mississippi river to the north and west is Davenport, 1 Iowa, whose bridge connections make possible considerable interstate trade, both wholesale and retail. Along the Illinois side of the river,, the cities are located in string formation reaching from west to east and northeast, and the only bridges open to highway traffic across the FIG. 1. LOCATION OF SHIPPING POINTS IN ROCK ISLAND AND HENRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS The above map shows both rail and truck shipping points in the agri- cultural area covered by the present study. Muscatine and Davenport, Iowa, are included since they are direct receiving points for considerable produce from farms on the Illinois side of the river. Mississippi river between Muscatine and Clinton are those at Daven- port. Highway traffic from the Illinois side enters Rock Island and Moline from the south over two bridges across the Rock river, one connecting Rock Island with points to the southwest and the other tapping a farming area south of Moline. Thru Silvis and East Moline there are highway connections with the southeast, east, and north- east. A few east-and-west thorofares which connect the business sections of the four cities on the Illinois side carry a large proportion of the traffic. In few trade areas is there such a series of retail points. There is a tendency, therefore, to localize certain classes of trade which might otherwise be concentrated near the centers of the cities. Soils. The rivers and other physical features which count so heavily in determining the layout of the cities have likewise influenced 'The name "Quad-Cities" and the adjective "Quad-City" are sometimes used to indicate collectively Davenport, Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline. 138 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 139 the soils and topography of the farming district. This applies to the Iowa side of the area (detailed consideration of which is for the most part beyond the scope of the present analysis) as well as to the Illinois side, and is reflected in the accompanying soil map (Fig. 2). Along the river bottoms occur dark-colored silt, clay, and sandy loams in narrow strips. Across the river to the north, and in the eastern and central parts of Rock Island county hilly and eroded terrace soils are found. Those sections, therefore, contain considerable pasture land adapted to dairying. In the central and northern parts of Scott county, Iowa, the southern part of Rock Island county, and in most of Henry county, which lies to the south and east of Rock Island county, dark-colored soils, including brown and light brown silt loams are found extensively. These sections are adapted to general farming. Crop and Livestock Production. In Rock Island county, of the total land area five-sixths was in farms in 1924, and of this 60 per- cent was devoted to crops, the rest of the farm land being used mainly for pasture. The emphasis upon crops was even larger in Scott and Henry counties (Appendix, Table 23). The proportion of the crop area in Rock Island county in 1924 devoted to grains was 74 percent; to hay, 18 percent; and to other crops, 8 percent. The concentration upon grain was higher in Scott county and still higher in Henry county. The hay area in Scott county was a larger proportion of the total crop area than in Rock Island county, but the proportion of land in alfalfa and clovers was larger in Rock Island county than in either of the other two counties. Henry had a small proportion of land in both the leguminous and non- leguminous hays. The proportion of land devoted to miscellaneous crops was larger in Rock Island county than in either Henry or Scott counties. Speaking generally, Rock Island county emphasizes livestock of several kinds to a degree much beyond most of the state. In this county in 1925 the number of animals per 1,000 acres of farm land was as follows: work animals, 40; dairy cows, 36; other cattle (in- cluding dairy animals except milk cows), 50; sheep, 12; hogs, 302; and chickens, 945 (Appendix, Table 24). That farming in this area is devoted mainly to the production of staple crops and livestock products is further indicated by the fact that grain and hay crops in Rock Island county in 1924 occupied about 97 percent of the land in harvested crops other than that used for home gardens. Potatoes occupied about 1 percent of the crop land, while the production of apples and peaches accounted for the use of about 1 percent, leaving only about 1 percent devoted to the production of other fruit and vegetable crops for sale. Population. In few communities of Illinois has there been a more rapid growth in total population since 1890 than in Rock Island coun- ty. In point of numbers, the rural population has been more and 140 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, g-^3 o> a) o ...-.. O i * o ciS 5 ^ TH -*t-CO N 2 xi g ^"1 OS S I| ____ _ 005CD _ co OS a H o | a | CO o .g OD w 3 >, OSOtO.OOOOO .., O c S OO I 1 ! M CO O OS 00 CD (N * t^ tD >O IN IN c*. 1 2 s a i o " vives we Os M i 0) 1 CO O5 OS OS O 00 (N CD CM C CO iO 00 1-1 00 o o _c o 3 2^ I!" 3 >O O 00 * 1-1 rt (N t^ U5 CO 1-1 (N CM IN t~ INlNi-l S a ALITIES AND , AND SlLVIS Number of adults OO'Ch-O: i 00 N i CO C O O CO tO OiOOt^CSi-HTfi-i X CO O CO * N * O i i M W CM ! \ housewives. BY NATION OCK ISLAND Number of children (under 12 years) CO i-l C-l T* interviews wit LND ADULTS, MOLINE, I Number of families CO i-l 00 n the basis of ;k Island. a 5 H Q & -fj *u c S3 o 2 M O i .1 5 1 o 1 d *" *O >> c .0 o n S P e C3 5 iH jj ::::: 1 W n c3 C -Iliiili : : : : : : : EH "S k 1 T T T T ;.. >SoSooo* -S^g"w2'^ -^v.'V.'W/.' Oi 10rH rH t^ocoo co g a i "c 3 iO CO O500COU5 OS i 1 PH S IOCS iH oco rHrH W SI u SEPTEI a o w PS oso^'coooO'-Hcoco OrHrao _ H = EH S3 Pi ^co^' IM O S88S93S2SS 888S COO O CD O iO C. O T-H CO 01 (N Q C >O O O O ** COO ^ I-H OJ i ' H t ^ 1-1 PURCHASES c Farms reporting 00 t- 'O h- CO I-H O IN 10 t- O CO 00 OOTfMi-Hffl t~t>- rHC cu 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 145 quantities shipped out than in only at the seasons of the year when supplies resulting from local production were at their highest points. In the case of fruits the inbound shipments were in excess of the out- bound shipments during all seasons of the year. Taking the year as a whole, the most pronounced tendency for outbound shipments to exceed inbound shipments was shown in the case of hogs, rye, barley, wheat, oats, tomatoes, and onions. On the other hand, the tendency for inbound shipments to exceed outbound shipments was most pronounced in the case of raw milk, cheese, oleo, fertilizer other than limestone, 1 potatoes, melons, cabbage, lettuce, celery, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables, berries, peaches, pears, apples, and other fruits. FARM PURCHASES AND SALES The extent to which the local farms have been contributing to the flow of farm products into and out of the area is indicated by the records obtained from 110 typical farms in the area (Table 3). These 110 farms sold an average of $3,15& worth of farm products and purchased $494 worth of feed from September 1/1927, to August 31, 1928. The receipts from the farms were distributed as follows: hogs, 43 percent; cattle, 34 percent; dairy products, 9 percent; poujtry and eggs, 6 percent; grain and hay, 5 percent; and miscellaneous crops, including fruits and vegetables, 3 percent. Eighty-eight of these 110 farms sold hogs and 47 sold beef cattle. Sixty farms purchased corn and 33 purchased oats. Of the pur- chased feeds, corn made up 71 percent of the total value. During the year the purchase of corn exceeded sales by 331 bushels per farm, and over 3,000 pounds of commercial feeds were purchased per farm. The purchase of all feeds exceeded the sale of feed crops by $378 per farm. The situation in this year was due largely to the fact that the yield of corn in Rock Island county in 1927 was only 33 bushels per acre as compared with a seven-year average yield of 39.2 bushels. 2 Records over a period of years show that the value of grain and other feed crops sold in the area about balances the purchase of feed, tho there is normally quite an exchange of feed among farms within the area in any year. On a group of about 50 farms in this section of the state during the past five years the sales exceeded purchases of grain and feed crops in two years while the purchases were in excess of sales in three vears. of the limestone quarried near East Moline is finely ground for farm use. In the year in question over three times as many carloads of limestone were shipped out of the trade area as into it. 2 From Crop Estimating Service, Illinois Department of Agriculture and U. S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. 146 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, TYPES OF FARMING IN THE AREA On the basis of the agricultural commodities produced and sold from farms, Illinois may be divided into eight farming-type areas, as shown in Fig. 3. While in any one of these areas wide differences will be found in the type of farming followed, the production of the majority of the farms is of the nature indicated. The area under consideration is divided between two farming- type areas, in both of which livestock production is important. To the north and east dairying and beef and hog production are impor- tant sources of income, while to the south beef cattle and hogs predomi- nate. The importance of livestock is explained in part by the fact that 25 percent of the area is untillable and suitable mainly for pas- ture. The kinds of crops grown on the tillable land are in turn influ- enced by the demand for feed for livestock. A good market for whole milk and dairy products is provided by a population of approximately 160,000 people living in Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, and Silvis on the Illinois side of the Mississippi river and in Davenport and Bettendorf on the Iowa side. The produc- tive soil lying back from'the river, most of which is tillable, furnishes an abundant supply of feed crops for the production of meat and other animal products. The lack of transportation facilities in the southwest part of Rock Island county makes it desirable to convert the bulky feed crops of that area into livestock products as a means of reducing transporta- tion costs. The comparatively large amount of untillable land in this part of the county encourages the production of beef cattle, while the natural adaptation of the tillable land to corn encourages the feeding of both beef cattle and hogs. The fact that in Rock Island county 74 percent of the cows milked are of dairy breeds shows the effect which the proximity of a large population center has had on the types of farming followed in the area. In Henry county only 56 percent of the cows milked belong to dairy breeds. Cream and butterfat make up a larger part of dairy sales in Henry county than in Rock Island county. NOTE. There are a number of factors that help to determine the type of farming in any area. They will vary in their relative importance in the different parts of the country. These factors may be divided under three heads as follows : (1) natural factors, (2) artificial factors, and (3) biological factors. The natural factors include topography, soil conditions, temperature, rainfall, and drainage. The artificial, or man-made, factors include transportation, available markets, density of population, machinery development, available capital and labor, char- acter of people, land tenure, legislation, cycles of over- and under-production, and competition with other areas. The biological factors include plant and animal diseases, parasites and insects. While most of these factors have a per- manent influence on the type of farming, part of them, such as some plant and animal diseases, may exert only temporary influence. 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 147 Accurate records kept by 44 farmers in the area in 1927 indicate that 89 percent of their receipts for that year were from livestock and livestock products, while 11 percent were from crop sales, in- cluding sales of fruits and vegetables (Appendix, Table 32). The change that takes place in type of farming as the distance from a population center increases is shown in a study of 117 farms FIG. 3. TYPES OF FARMING FOUND IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF ILLINOIS, AS SHOWN BY PRODUCTS SOLD The area included in this study is divided between Farm- ing-Type Areas 2 and 3, in both of which livestock and livestock products are the prin- cipal sources of farm income. Area 1. Major Dairying Minor Mixed farming and vege- table production Area 2. Major Mixed livestock farming (dairying, beef cattle, hogs) Area 3. Major Beef cattle and hogs Minor Grain (much of the grain sold is bought by local farmers) ; some fruit in the south part. Area 4. Major Grain farming Minor General livestock Area 5. Major General farming (corn lead- ing cereal) Area 6. Major General farming (corn and wheat leading cereals) Considerable fruit in western side of area Area 7. Major Wheat and dairying Minor Mixed farming, with some vegetable and fruit production Area 8. Major Mixed farming. Leading products on different farms: fruit, redtop, timothy, dairy products, livestock, corn, vegetables, and wheat in Wethersfield township, Henry county, forty miles from Moline, also made in 1927 (Appendix, Table 33). In this township 73 percent of the farm income was from livestock and livestock products, while 27 percent came from the sale of crops, which is more from crops than is found in the area closer to the population center. In Rock Island county, where 90 percent of the land in harvested crops was in corn, oats, and hay, 75 to 95 percent of the farms re- ported growing these crops. Nearly 70 percent reported the production of potatoes, but these were grown mostly for home use; in fact few 148 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, farmers reported growing any potatoes or other vegetables for sale. The prevalence of small farm orchards and of very few commercial fruit farms is indicated by the large number of farms reporting fewer than 30 apple trees per farm. About half of the farms in Rock Island county in 1925 were less than 100 acres in size (Appendix, Table 34). These farms, however, make up less than 20 percent of the total area reported in farms. The average farm contains 121 acres, but the greatest number of farms are included in the group ranging from 100 to 174 acres in size. One FIG. 4. ONE OF THE BETTER FARMSTEADS IN THE AREA The kinds of buildings represented here are typical of those found on many livestock farms of the area. hundred ten farmers supplying special information reported an aver- age of 156 acres per farm, and 44 farmers who kept financial records reported 223 acres per farm. Most of the small farms are near the cities, and frequently some members of the family are employed away from the farm for at least a portion of the year. The predominating type of farm in the area, which produces the great bulk of farm prod- ucts sold, is well over 100 acres in size. There is little evidence of clear-cut changes in crop 1 or livestock production in this area as a whole during the past thirty years. The number of cows over two years of age has shown no appreciable change from 1900 to 1925 except some change from beef cows to dairy. 2 Likewise the number of swine seems to have remained fairly constant. The acreages of wheat, barley, and rye increased during the war period and dropped back again, altho the acreage of wheat is still larger than in 1910. There has been a reduction in the total acreage of hay cut, but a marked increase in the acreage of alfalfa and clovers. 'See Appendix, Table 35. 2 The number of cows two years old and over were as follows: 1900, 14,698; 1910, 15,700; 1920, 14,859; and 1925, 14,042 (U. S. Census). 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 149 The acreage of potatoes has been reduced by one-half since 1900. There was a big increase in the acreage of vegetables grown for sale from 1920 to 1925, altho the land devoted to either potato or vege- table production is a small part of the total area. Recently the growing of tomatoes and onions in the southern part of Rock Island county has been increased because of the demand from a canning plant at Muscatine. This illustrates how types of farming may change from time to time because of some change in demand conditions. The increase in local population has caused more rapid changes in the production of bulky or perishable products than in those which normally are transported long distances to market. The production of whole milk and vegetables has increased, but there has been little change in the amounts of grain crops, pork, or beef, which are pro- duced in amounts far in excess of local demand. On the other hand, there have been demands for food products which the nearby farmers could not profitably satisfy. The success of a farm, it must be em- phasized, finally rests, not on the production of any one product but on the way in which certain combinations fit together in a well- rounded business unit which is adapted to the natural conditions and the resources of a particular farmer. Because of soil conditions, ac- cess to market, home labor supply, and other conditions, some farmers have been in a position to take advantage of increasing local demands for directly consumable farm products, while others could not profit- ably do so. FARM EARNINGS In the mixed livestock section of northwestern Illinois (Area 2) capital invested in farms has earned an average rate of 2.3, 5.3, 3.6, and 1.6 percent respectively during the four years 1924 to 1927. In the beef-cattle and hog-producing section of western Illinois (Area 3), the earnings were 4.3, 4.3, 2.3, and 1.5 percent respectively. Forty thousand dollars is the approximate average investment per farm in these areas, with bare land valued at about $140 an acre as the average. These earnings were computed from records kept by farmers thruout the entire period, supplemented by survey records obtained from practically every farmer in an entire township in this part of the state in 1927. 1 Wide differences in farm earnings from year to year, such as the above, are to be expected because of changes in price levels and varia- 1 Careful comparisons made over the past four years in a different area each year show that the rate earned by account-keeping farmers is about 2 percent more on the total farm investment than the average of all farmers. In Wethers- field township in Henry county, for example, survey records from 117 farms showed the average earnings to be 2.2 percent in 1927, while 60 farms in the same county where -careful records were kept earned 4.3 percent, a difference of 2.1 percent on the total farm investment. 150 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, tions in seasonal conditions. Of more significance is the fact that some farmers in a community consistently make larger profits than others. Studies of the earnings of individual farms, made by the Uni- versity of Illinois during the past fifteen years, show that such differ- ences are largely due to differences in the way the farms are organized and operated. EARNINGS ON SELECTED FARMS For the farming of an area to be most profitable, not only must it meet local food needs to the best advantage, but in the management of the individual farms certain principles must be observed that make for efficient organization and operation. That some farmers in Rock Island county are more successful than others in putting the principles of good farm management into prac- tice is indicated by a study of the records kept by 44 typical farmers in the area (Table 4) . These 44 farmers, in 1927, earned an average TABLE 4. EARNINGS ON 44 FARMS IN THE AREA, 1927 Average of 44 farms 15 most profitable farms 15 least profitable farms 5.1% 7 9% 1 9% Labor and management wage Average size of farm, acres $748 223.2 $ 25 58 $2 389 252.6 $ 31 . 94 -$657 192.7 $ 19.84 9.70 9.90 10.50 Net receipts per acre 15.88 22.04 9.34 of 5 percent on their capital investment and $748 as a return for their labor. The 15 operators earning the largest return averaged $2,389 for their labor, while the 15 showing the lowest returns lacked $657 of paying operating expenses and interest charges and received nothing for their labor. This is a net difference of $3,046 per farm in the earning power of the two groups of farms. Since the farms are operated under similar conditions, the above difference may be attributed in a large degree to the extent to which the operator has put into practice the principles of good farm manage- ment. The group of most profitable farms averaged 10.4 bushels more corn per acre, 6.5 bushels more oats, and % ton more hay than the least profitable group (Table 5). The 15 more profitable farms had a larger proportion of their crop land in the higher-profit crops corn, wheat, clover, and alfalfa 73.4 percent of the crop land being in these four crops as compared with 67.8 percent on the 15 least profitable farms (computed from Table 6) . That corn, wheat, clover, and alfalfa are the more profitable crops is shown by cost records kept on farms in Knox and Warren counties for three years, 1923-1925 (Table 7). Livestock was the most important source of income on all these 44 farms and accounted for 89 percent of their income in 1927 (Ap- 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 151 TABLE 5. CROP YIELDS PER ACRE ON 44 FARMS IN THE AREA, 1927 Average of 44 farms 15 most profitable farms 15 l< ,ift profitable farms Corn bu. 46.0 bu. 52.1 bu. 41.7 Oats 44.6 48.4 41.9 Wheat 22.1 21.3 22.3 Barley 37.7 39.0 38.9 Hay (tons) (1-6) (1.7) (1.6) pendix, Table 32). The success with which livestock was man- aged was therefore a large factor in determining the farm income; in fact, the greatest difference between these two groups of farms was the efficiency with which the livestock was handled. The average investment in productive livestock was very nearly the same on the 15 most profitable farms ($21.60 per acre) and on the 15 least prof- itable farms ($22.80 per acre). The more profitable farms showed more beef-cattle feeding and fewer hogs than the less profitable farms. The first group had a considerable income about 19.7 percent of the total from feed and grain, the larger acreage of small grain crops and the higher yields of feed crops resulting in this source of cash in- come. The 15 most profitable farms, however, received an average of $120 return for each $100 invested in productive livestock, while the 15 least profitable farms received an average of only $85 (Table 8). Had the lower group secured the same rate of return on their in- vestment in livestock as the upper group, their average farm income would have been nearly $1,500 higher than it was. A larger volume of business was handled on the 15 most profitable farms: the farm area was larger and more business was done per acre (Table 4). On the 15 most profitable farms the income was $31.94 an acre, while on the 15 least profitable farms it was only $19.84 an acre. Not only were receipts 60 percent higher, but expenses per acre were slightly lower on the 15 most profitable farms. TABLE 6. CROP ACREAGES ON 44 FARMS IN THE AREA, 1927 Average of 44 farms 15 most profitable farms 15 least profitable farms Size of farm 223.2 252 6 192 7 Area in: Corn 80.7 92.2 66 1 Oats 28 6 23 5 29 2 Wheat 10 2 16 7 6 1 Barley 8.4 16.4 1 7 Timothy. . . . 3 6 1 9 1 7 Clover 11.8 13.8 7 Alfalfa 5.6 6.9 6 9 Other crops 5 4 5 1 8 3 Total crop area 154.3 176.5 127.0 152 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, TABLE 7. COMPARATIVE PROFIT YIELDED ANNUALLY BY VARIOUS FIELD CROPS, BASED ON RECORDS OF FIFTEEN TO EIGHTEEN FARMS IN KNOX AND WARREN COUNTIES, ILLINOIS, 1923-1925 1 Corn Oats Winter wheat Barley 1 Spring wheat 2 51.3 14.77 $6.70 $ .54 54.1 8.47 -$1.46 $ .38 21,8 11.58 -$1.17 $1.11 27.4 9.83 -$4.15 $ .77 14.2 6.15 -$7.81 $1.45 Net cost per bushel Timothy Mixed hay Clover Alfalfa .94 5.60 -$1.39 $14.60 1.04 7.63 -$3.30 $16.86 1.67 8.71 $ 1.92 $11.86 2.79 16.69 $16.64 $10.22 Net profit or loss per acre Net cost per ton ^Twelve of the same farms kept records each of the three years. The data on barley and spring wheat were limited to a few farms, but are representative, except that the yields are a little low as compared with corn and oats. The 15 most profitable farms made better use of both man and horse labor than the 15 least profitable farms (Table 9). Both groups had the same number of tractors in use. Studies of farms in Jo Daviess, Carroll, and Whiteside counties in the northwestern part of Illinois in 1927, and in Mercer and Henry counties in the same part of the state, show a similar difference be- tween higher and lower profit farms. Thus the importance of better yields of crops, of cropping systems that include more of the higher profit crops, of more efficient live- stock production, better use of man labor, more economical use of horses and mechanical power, and a better control of the costs of buildings and other equipment as factors in profitable farming are emphasized by actual farm records in this area. The more successful TABLE 8. RETURNS PER $100 INVESTED IN LIVESTOCK ON 44 FARMS IN THE AREA, 1927 Average of 44 farms 15 most profitable farms 15 least profitable farms Returns per $100 invested in productive livestock. . Returns per $100 invested in cattle $102.40 93.50 $119.75 96.30 $84.80 70 00 138 60 153 90 130 50 Returns per $100 invested in poultry 181.10 214.50 157.00 TABLE 9.- -EFFICIENCY IN USE OF MAN AND HORSE LABOR ON 44 FARMS IN THE AREA, 1927 Average of 44 farms 15 most profitable farms 15 least profitable farms Number of men 2.1 2.4 1.8 Number of work horses 6.7 7.1 5.9 Number of farms with tractors 24 7 7 Crop acres per man 73.5 73.5 70.5 Crop acres per horse 23.0 24.9 21.5 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 153 farmers in this area, as in other areas of the state, have as a rule spent from five years to a generation of intelligent effort in improving the soil, selecting good varieties of crops, establishing a good crop- ping system, developing efficient herds of livestock, and in equipping their farms for economical operation in accordance with carefully thought-out plans. While one year's results are valuable in analyzing the factors that influence farm earnings, the importance of certain factors is brought TABLE 10. EFFECT OF VARIOUS PRODUCTION FACTORS ON FARM INCOMES: FROM A STUDY OF 175 CENTRAL ILLINOIS FARMS, 1925-1927 (The figures indicate the yearly differences between the 35 highest and the 35 lowest earning farms in the group) Factor Difference in earnings 1. Yield of crops $831 2. Amount of livestock kept 657 3. 557 4. Kinds of crops grown 304 5. Difference in price received for grain 280 6. Cost of power and machinery 216 7. Cost of man labor 49 8. Other recorded expense 28 Other factors 118 Total yearly difference due to above factors $3 040 out more strongly in continuous studies of groups of farms. A recent study of 175 farms located in central Illinois, on which records were obtained each year for a three-year period (1925-1927), affords a good example of what such an analysis will disclose. The 35 most profitable of the 175 farms earned annually an average of $3,040 more than the 35 least profitable farms. All the farms were comparable from the standpoint of soil, and the differences in earnings proved to be due to the ways in which the farms were organized and operated. Analysis showed that differences in crop yields, the kinds of crops grown, the amount of livestock kept, and the efficiency with which the livestock was handled, skill in marketing the products of the farm, and the amount of expense incurred accounted for more than 95 percent of the differences in earnings between the two groups (Table 10). As studies such as this are continued over a longer period they show that some farmers are making progress toward placing their farms on a more profitable basis. Others, while still in the lower profit group, have made changes in organization based on an analysis of their business that should materially increase their earnings in the next few years. 1 ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF TYPICAL FARMS Many of the farms in Rock Island and Henry counties may appear to be following much the same type of farming, yet in reality quite 'A more comprehensive discussion of the principles that underlie successful farming under Illinois conditions will be embodied in a forthcoming bulletin of this Station. 154 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, TABLE 11. FACTS CONCERNING THE ORGANIZATION AND PRODUCTION OF THREE SUCCESSFUL FARMS IN THE AREA: BASED ON RECORDS FOR THE THREE YEARS 1925-1927 1 (The figures indicate yearly averages) Beef-cattle feeding and hog farm Dairy and hog farm Beef-cattle raising and hog farm Rate earned 8.3% 8.9% 6.0% Total investment per acre $238 $213 $311 Size of farm in acres 380.0 153.3 165.0 Percentage of crop land in higher profit crops 63.8 65.3 64.3 Percentage of income from livestock 99.1 88.0 93.8 Number of cows 6 15.5 15 Number of brood sows 30 16 35 Number of steers fed 115 25 Return per $100 invested in productive livestock. . . Yield of corn per acre $130 57.7 $162 46.4 $193 58.4 Yield of oats per acre 60.6 55.2 43.9 Gross receipts per acre $38.48 $32.78 $33.85 Total expense per acre $18 61 $13.72 $15.04 Net income per acre $19.87 $19.06 $18.81 'For more detailed statement see Table 36 in the Appendix. wide differences are to be noted. That there is opportunity for suc- cessfully following different systems is indicated in a study of some of the better farms. Financial records for three years on three farms in this area following different types of farming show each to be rela- tively successful as compared with the average of all farms keeping records (Table 11). One of these three successful farms is a typical beef-cattle and hog-feeding farm. It is a large farm capable of pro- ducing a large amount of feed all of which is fed to cattle and hogs. Three men were employed on it. The second is a dairy and hog farm from which butter is sold to local retailers. This is a smaller farm with a considerable acreage of tillable land in pasture ; in fact, prac- tically the entire farm is tillable. While smaller than the first and showing smaller receipts per acre, the expenses per acre were con- siderably lower, making the net income per acre larger. The third is a beef-cattle and hog farm, maintaining a beef-cattle herd for the raising of feeding calves. Beef cows were so handled as to make good use of legume pasture and to aid in improving crop yields. Hogs were an important source of income on this farm as they were on the others. All three farms followed very closely the basic principles of good farm management high crop yields were obtained, large acreages were planted to the more profitable crops; livestock was handled effi- ciently and was the main source of income ; a large volume of business was done; and labor, power, and machinery were used efficiently. Close observance of these principles, it is clear, was of more importance in determining the income of these farms than was the particular type of farming followed, tho it should be added that all three farms engaged in types well adapted to local conditions. 1929] . STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 155 HOME EQUIPMENT ON FARMS One index of the standard of living in a rural community is the extent to which farm families possess and use modern mechanical equipment. Among farmers of different circumstances, as measured by tenure, size of farm, and term of occupancy, the availability of such equipment naturally differs, and a study of equipment as related to those conditions is therefore of particular interest. Of the 412 families from which facts concerning home equipment were obtained, 379 gave information about tenure, which it is worth while to examine before discussing equipment. (For detailed data supporting the following discussion, see Appendix, Tables 37, 38, and 39). Among the 379 farms, 184 were operated by owners, and of these farms those of larger size (200 acres and over) had been in the hands of the same operators longer than had the smaller farms. Tenant farmers (195 records) had farmed almost as long as owner-farmers 14 years as compared with 18 years and in 1928 had been on the farms they were then operating 7 years as compared with 11 years in the case of owner-operators. Owners operating larger farms had farmed for a longer total time than owners operating small farms. In the case of tenant operators this latter distinction was much less marked. Houses on farms of owners were but slightly larger than those on farms operated by tenants. This held true on farms of the various sizes. Owner houses averaged 8.3 rooms and tenant houses 7.5 rooms. Trucks were a part of the equipment of 36 percent of the owners and 2 percent of the tenants. The proportion of owners not having automobiles was 3 percent and of tenants 5 percent. In the matter of lighting, 76 percent of the tenants and 54 percent of the owners depended on kerosene or gasoline; 17 percent of the tenants and 23 percent of the owners used electricity from power lines ; 4 percent of tenants and 20 percent of owners had home electric plants. Running water at the sink was enjoyed by 17 percent of the tenant and 36 percent of the owner families. Bathrooms with run- ning water were in 9 percent of the tenant and 31 percent of the owner homes. Sixty-three percent of the tenants had stoves and 37 per- cent furnaces, while 40 percent of the owners had stoves and 60 per- cent furnaces. Laundry facilities included machines run by power in the case of 52 percent of the tenant families and 68 percent of the owner families. Refrigerators were reported by 22 percent of the tenants and 46 percent of the owners. Fifty-six percent of the tenant homes and 62 percent of the owner homes had either hand or electric vacuum cleaners. Electric irons were reported for 19 percent of the tenant families and 45 percent of the owner families. Families on larger farms had more use of electric power from power lines, but with respect to much of the other equip- 156 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, TABLE 12. PROPORTION OF OWNERS AND TENANTS POSSESSING DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOME EQUIPMENT: 379 FARMS IN ROCK ISLAND AND HENRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS, SEPTEMBER, 1928 1 184 owners 195 tenants Fixed equipment Home electric plant or power-line connections Bathroom plumbing or running water percent 43 31 percent 21 9 Toilet in bathroom 26 8 60 37 Movable equipment Kerosene or gasoline stove 79 74 68 Sewing machine 98 99 'For more detailed records see Table 39 in the Appendix. ment there was relatively little difference between the larger farms and the medium-sized and small farms. Both tenant and owner families have had less access to fixed equip- ment than to movable (Table 12). In the homes of tenant farmers equipment of the fixed type has had relatively little place. In the case of 57 farmers it is possible to examine the relation between length of time on the farm operated in 1928 and the extent of home equipment (Table 13). Farmers who had been on the same farms for 15 years or more had electricity in 50 percent of the cases, furnaces in 67 percent, toilet in bathroom in 60 percent, and running water in bathroom in 75 percent. These figures are in each case markedly larger than for farmers who had been on the same farms from 10 to 15 years, from 5 to 10 years, or for less than 5 years. Access to these modern improvements in the home is clearly re- lated to the permanence of the families and to their tenure as owners of the farms operated by them. TABLE 13. YEARS ON PRESENT FARM AND EXTENT OF HOME EQUIPMENT: 57 FARMS IN ROCK ISLAND AND HENRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS, SEPTEMBER, 1928 Years on present farm Number Percentage having Electricity Running water in bathroom Toilet in bathroom Furnace to 4 9 25 15 11 6 4.0 13.3 30.3 50.0 4.8 6.7 45.4 75.0 None None 18.2 60.0 24.0 26.7 54.5 66.7 5 to 9.9 10 to 14.9 15 and over 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 157 THE LOCAL SITUATION AS TO PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF FARM COMMODITIES The situation relative to farm products in the area is considered under seven leading classes of products field crops, meat animals, dairy products, poultry and eggs, fruits, potatoes and other vegetables. A considerable part of the first two groups of products field crops and meat animals is shipped to outside markets. The other groups of commodities are produced in amounts smaller than needed for local consumption, and altho some of them are shipped out of the area, the greater part of them reach the consumers quite directly. In order to learn the prevalent views of dealers and consumers toward locally grown produce, representatives of both groups were queried on a number of points with the results here given. Records were obtained from 67 dealers located within the city limits of Rock Island, Moline, East Moline and Silvis, all of them handling some local farm produce. The group included 34 ordinary grocery stores, 26 meat and grocery stores, 4 grocery departments of large department stores, two meat markets and one fruit and vegetable department of a meat market. 1 Ninety-four percent of the storekeepers, according to these records, stated that their customers were well satisfied with the present grade and quality of farm products. Lack of variety and poor quality drew some complaint. Over two-thirds, 69 percent, of the dealers reported that their customers expressed preference for local produce, 12 percent reported that their customers objected to local produce, and 19 percent re- ported that their customers really do not know the difference between local and outside produce. It seemed to be a rather prevalent opinion among storekeepers that customers are not concerned with the origin of the produce; they merely choose a reliable dealer and leave it to his judgment to decide about quality, flavor, and other such con- siderations. When the dealers were asked if they themselves had objections to using local farm produce, only 22 percent reported that they had. Of the small number reporting objections, half based them upon un- availability of the produce and lack of a dependable supply. The others objected to the lack of grading and the poor quality of local produce. Nearly four-fifths, 78 percent, of the dealers expressed personal preferences favorable to local products, the main reason given being that farmers usually take a large part of their pay in the form of groceries. Farmer trade is a much coveted sideline for a city grocer. 'Chain stores were not included because of a rule prohibiting local managers from giving out information concerning the business. 158 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, In many cases dealers are competing with one another for the farmer patronage, paying more than market price for local products when a portion is taken out in trade. Other reasons why dealers preferred local produce included better quality and small spoilage. To obtain the views of consumers, the investigators visited 458 households and 18 public eating houses in the four cities on the Illinois side of the Mississippi river, and procured first-hand information con- cerning the consumption of and the attitude toward locally produced food products. The significant facts brought out in this phase of the study are discussed in the individual sections that follow. FIELD CROPS Present Production. In this area, where livestock and livestock products make up a large part of the receipts of most farms, practi- cally all crops, excepting wheat, have been raised with a view to meeting local feed requirements. Economy in operating the farm and the care of the soil have also influenced the selection of crops. The average yield of corn in Rock Island and Henry counties was 33 and 30 bushels an acre respectively in 1927. Compared with these yields, farm account keepers in the trade area grew an average of 46 bushels and the best one-third of them an average of 52 bushels an acre. Such differences in yield are due directly to the following of better practices on the high-yielding farms. As noted previously, corn, wheat, barley, alfalfa, and sweet clover have been the higher profit crops in this part of Illinois. While about half the crop land in Rock Island county was used for corn in 1924, only about 10 percent was devoted to the other higher profit crops, and the situation is not greatly changed at present. Red clover is grown to some extent. The crop is better adapted to some land than is alfalfa, but the acreage is small. Many farmers in these counties are following good rotations of crops, but there is much room for improvement. In 1924 it was re- ported that 3.1 percent of all crop land in Rock Island county was in clovers, 2.1 percent in alfalfa, and 9.8 percent in mixed hay, of which less than half presumably was in legumes. This suggests that less than 10 percent of the land was in legume crops in 1924 and the pro- portion at the present time is probably not essentially different. Under good farm practice, however, from 20 to 25 percent of the land should be in legume crops. Opportunities for More Profitable Production. In the production of field crops it is necessary, on the one hand, that careful attention be given to the soil, cultural practices, and the selection and preser- vation of seed from high-yielding varieties. It is no less important that careful attention be given to the selection and combination of 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 159 crops to bring the largest net return; and in this connection it may be remarked that the profitableness of a feed crop depends in large measure upon the demand by local farms as well as upon the demand at the central markets. In this area, as in others, successful farms have a large part of the land planted to the higher profit crops. Even in normal years, how- ever, farm purchases in this section have included considerable com- mercial feed, at least a part of which could have been advantageously avoided by growing suitable feed crops. The wide differences in crop yields and in the acreages of different crops grown indicate the need for improved practices, both in growing the crops and in apportioning land to them. The needs along these lines have been so apparent and apply to so many farms that the farm bureaus in both Rock Island and Henry counties have given prominence to soil and crop improvement work. Among the projects selected by the local farm bureaus from among those offered by the Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Illinois, are the following: 1 "More and Better Legumes." This project has as its object "to demonstrate the adaptation and use of the more important legumes; to encourage the greater utilization of legumes on all farms in the various sections of the state; and to demonstrate the place of the new and uncommon legumes." The project gives special attention to sweet clover, alfalfa, red clover, and soybeans. "Better Seed Corn," the object of which is stated as follows: "to demonstrate that the yield of corn may be increased by the selection of good seed; that diseases appear in every cornfield in the state and can be detected ; that it is possible to select, in practically every field, ears of corn which are relatively free from disease; that seed corn can be successfully culled during the late winter and early spring; and that the germination test is essential as the final step in securing disease-free seed corn." "Soil Testing and Mapping," a project planned "to carefully test the soil ... for acidity or limestone requirement, and to preserve a record of the tests in the form of a map which will be useful in con- nection with liming practices and studies of soil conditions within the county." "Limestone, Phosphate, and Potash Demonstrations" the object of which is "to demonstrate the value of limestone and potash, when used separately and in combination, on the various soil types of the state in connection with suitable crop rotations." 'In. the following discussion quotation marks are used to set out the names of the projects of the Agri-cultural Extension Service of the University of Illinois in cooperation with the county farm bureaus, and further quotations stating the objects have been taken directly from official statements of the projects. 160 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, While thru these and other projects extensive work has been done toward meeting many of the problems arising in the successful produc- tion of the staple field crops of the area, and marked progress has been made, it is the constant problem of the local farm bureaus to get a larger proportion of farmers to adopt better practices. Financial con- ditions, however, as well as lack of information, have retarded soil improvement on many farms. A period of years is frequently required to get the full benefit of money expended for limestone and rock phos- phate, and one or more rotations of crops are required to bring low- producing land into a reasonably high state of production. While the returns on money expended for intelligent soil improvement are large, it is difficult in a period of depressed agriculture for many men to make the investment. After a century of farming, however, better care of the soil is essential. This applies to the better land as well as to poor land. In fact the income per acre can frequently be increased more for a given expenditure on good land that has been continually in grain crops, with practically no fertilizer applied, than on naturally poor land. To bring about better care of the soil a long-time view is as im- portant for others as for the farmer. Encouragement such as a banker can give is needed by many farmers to induce them to incur the ex- pense needed in soil improvement. Many tenant farmers, including those related to the owners of the land, are ready to do their part in applying fertilizers and entering upon a constructive soil-building program if the landowners make it financially possible. Expenditures of this nature must be viewed in the same way as those for new buildings and for other long-time improvements except that soil im- provement brings a more direct advantage in increasing the farm in- come than do many other improvements. MEAT ANIMALS Present Production. Receipts from swine on 110 typical farms in the area were 43 percent of all receipts from sale of products, 1 and receipts from beef cattle were 32 percent. Thus hogs were the largest single source of income. Only five of these farms reported the sale of meat and lard, the total value being only $91. Hogs. Of the 88 farms which sold hogs, all but 14 sold for desti- nations outside the area. The proportion of the swine sold to out- side points was 94 percent, measured in terms of either weight or value. In the case of 43 percent of the swine sold for outside destina- tions, shipment was made directly to commission firms by the indi- vidual producers, while 53 percent was handled thru local coopera- tive shipping associations. 'See Table 3, page 144. 1929] STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 161 For the 88 farms reporting sales of hogs, the average amount sold was 15,096 pounds. Records of 29 producers for the year ended August 31, 1928, show that the monthly proportion of swine sales was highest in February, 18 percent; March, 16 percent; January, 13 percent; and July, 12 percent; and was smallest in September, 3 percent; October, 3 percent; June, 4 percent; and August, 5 percent. Beef Cattle and Veal Calves. While 53 of the 110 farms reported no receipts from the sale of beef cattle during the year ended August 31, 1928, all but 17 of the 57 farms reporting such receipts sold for destinations outside of the area. Nearly 94 percent of the beef cattle receipts were from sales to these outside points. As in the case of hogs, the amount going directly to city customers was negligible. Less than 4 percent of the beef cattle sold were sold directly to packers, 13 percent went to shipping associations, while over 83 per- cent were handled directly by commission firms. The proportion of beef cattle sold thru associations by these farmers was less than one- fourth as large as in the case of total shipments from 15 stations in the area (Table 21, page 182). From the records of 28 producers in the area it appears that the largest proportions of the beef cattle were sold in January, 21 per- cent; June, 16 percent; July, 14 percent; and February, nearly 14 percent. The months of smallest sales were: November, practically none; December, 1 percent; October, 2 percent; and May, 3 percent. Veal calves were produced for sale on 65, or nearly 60 percent, of the 110 farms. The veal-calf sales during the year ended August 31, 1928, averaged 340 pounds, counting all the farms, or nearly 580 pounds, counting only the 65 farms actually making such sales. The marketing of veal calves was about evenly divided between local and outside points. The local shipping associations handled over 60 percent of the veal calves destined for outside markets, the balance being sold directly thru commission firms. Sheep. That only a small place has been accorded sheep in the production of this area is indicated by the fact that on 44 farms the sales during the year ended August 31, 1928, averaged $107. The sheep inventory was estimated at $41 and the net increase, consider- ing purchases, sales, and inventory changes, was set at $38. Some- what higher figures were shown for the 15 most profitable farms. Opportunities for Livestock Improvement Extension projects on swine carried on in this area by the University of Illinois and the local farm bureaus include the "McLean County System of Swine Sani- tation," "Balancing Corn for Hogs," and "Ton Litters." The "Mc- Lean County System of Swine Sanitation" has for its object the rais- ing of pigs "free from infestation with worms and free from necrotic infection." It involves the use of clean farrowing quarters, the dis- 162 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, infecting of brood sows, and the use of clean pastures. The project, "Balancing Corn for Hogs," has been conducted "to demonstrate the profitable use of home-grown and by-product protein feeds in balancing corn for swine." Under this project the cooperators use the swine sanitation system and feed their hogs such combinations of other feeds with corn as will result in maximum profit. The "Ton Litter" project was instituted "to produce litters of pigs weighing as much as 2,000 pounds at six months of age, and to focus attention upon the import- ance of large litters." 4-H Club Work. One of the best opportunities for the future de- velopment of agriculture is offered by the work with farm boys and girls in the 4-H Clubs. The projects carried on by these clubs deal with most lines of farm production and with home development. The organization and direction of the clubs is a part of the extension pro- gram of the State Agricultural College and the federal government under the federal Smith-Lever Act. The character of the farm proj- ects is well illustrated by some of the livestock projects, such as the "Baby Beef Club" and the "Half-Ton Calf Club." The purpose of the Baby Beef Club is "to popularize baby beef production and demon- strate the best methods of raising and finishing beef calves." The project includes meetings, farm tours, and exhibits of the calves fed by the boys and girls. The Half-Ton Calf Club is somewhat similar in character, the object being "to grow calves to a weight of 1,000 pounds in 365 days." Club work helps to retain the interest of farm boys and girls in farm affairs and at the same time teaches better practices. DAIRY PRODUCTS Production and Consumption. The number of cows milked in nearby counties is estimated per square mile of land in farms as fol- lows: (in Illinois) Rock Island, 26; Henry, 19; Mercer, 14; and Whiteside, 27; (in Iowa) Cedar, 22; Clinton, 27; Muscatine, 22; and Scott, 36. Thus dairying is of about equal importance on both the Illinois and Iowa sides of the Mississippi. It is a larger source of income on farms in this part of Illinois than in the state as a whole. This is true around any large population center. The average production for all cows in Rock Island and Henry counties was about 3,500 pounds per year according to the 1925 Agri- cultural Census. This low production is to be accounted for in part by the milking of cows which are largely of beef breeding where the production of calves for the feedlot is a more important part of the cattle enterprise. Considerable cream production comes from herds of this type. If such herds were excluded from the average, there is little reason to suppose that the average production of the more strict- 1929] STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 163 ly dairy herds of this area would fall below the average of the state, which is about 4,500 pounds per cow annually. The daily consumption of whole milk in the homes of this area was slightly less than three-fourths of a pint per capita. 1 The annual con- sumption of milk in the area was over 26,000,000 pounds for a population of just over 100,000, 2 or the product of nearly 6,000 cows of an average production of 4,500 pounds annually. In addition, the consumption of butter, cheese, cream, and evaporated milk provides a demand for the product of over 18,000 more cows. Expressed in another way, to meet the local demand thru local production would require more than 1.5 times the number of cows now found on the farms of the area, assuming the present production per cow. If all of the dairy products used had been produced within the area, it would have required a greatly increased production to meet the demand. Butter, cheese and evaporated milk, however, are con- centrated products which may be shipped considerable distances to advantage. Twice as much cream was shipped out of the area as was brought into it. On the other hand, a considerable part of the milk used in the area was shipped in from Iowa. If the fluid milk now con- sumed in the area was to be produced in the area, and the local pro- duction of dairy products maintained at its present level, 1,800 more cows of the above production would be needed. Much of this increase could be secured by obtaining higher production per cow thru better selection, feeding, and management. Any increase in the consumption of locally produced milk, however, must depend upon the displacement of milk sent in from outside of the area, increased consumption per capita, or increased population. All the whole milk sold from farms in the trade area was sold either locally or on the Iowa side of the river. The 428 families from which records were obtained bought 9 percent of their milk from farmers' wagons, 66 percent from milk companies, and 25 percent from local stores. Information obtained from the local retail milk dealers' asso- ciation shows that 75 percent of their sales are retail. Since the sales of wholesale milk include that sold to bakeries, pastry shops, candy manufacturers, and other shops as well as to grocers, it is apparent that grocers handle less than 25 percent of the milk sold. The aver- age grocery sold about 34 quarts of milk daily. All but 30 families in the group of 458 interviewed used fresh milk, with an average daily consumption of 2.76 pints per family. Of this supply 73 percent was Grade B milk, 25 percent Grade C, and 2 percent Grade A (Table 14). This checks quite closely with the in- ir This does not include the consumption of ice cream, which usually amounts to a little less than 2 pints per capita monthly. 2 This is the approximate population of Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, and Silvis. 164 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, formation obtained from the retail milk dealers, who reported that 81 percent of the milk sold was pasteurized, and that the remaining 19 percent was divided between C and A grades. Twenty-one percent of the stores sold both A and C grades, while 93 percent sold B grade. (Grade B milk is pasteurized, while the milk of both Grade A and Grade C is sold as it comes from the farm). TABLE 14. CONSUMPTION OF MILK BY 428 FAMILIES IN EAST MOLINE, MOLING, ROCK ISLAND, AND SILVIS, ILLINOIS, DURING YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1928 Item Milk supply by grades Milk consumed daily per family From the local store From the milk wagon From the farmers' wagon From all sources Grade A milk perct. 2.1 72.5 25.4 100.0 pints .01 .61 .06 .68 (25) pints .05 1.35 .41 1.81 (66) pints !6i .23 .27 (9) pints .06 2.00 .70 2.76 (100) Grade B milk Grade C milk Total Percent by sources Grade A milk sold up to 22 cents a quart, and was produced by Guernsey cows under the best of conditions. Grade B milk, which was used in largest amounts in the area, retailed at 11 to 13 cents a quart. Grade C milk, which was not as standardized a product as either the A or B grades, sold at 9 to 11 cents a quart. Thus the price received for milk ranged from 9 to 22 cents a quart depending upon the grade. The reason for Grade A milk selling for more than twice as much as Grade C is that Grade A has a high fat content, is from tested herds, and is handled under the most sanitary conditions, while Grade C milk carries little or no guarantee. The consumption of milk in the area is below that found in some cities. It may be questioned whether enough attention is given to the grade of milk consumed. The sale of butterfat per square mile in 1924 in Rock Island and Henry counties was 619 and 683 pounds respectively, which is above the average of the state. The selling of cream is well adapted to a diversified farming section such as this, since calves, hogs, and poultry provide a profitable way of utilizing the skim milk on the farm. Over 55 percent of the farms from which records were secured sold butter- fat, compared with about 12 percent which sold fluid milk. The net price received for the sale of milk by farmers in the trade area was about $2 for 100 pounds at the farm. Estimating that 100 pounds of skim milk is equal in value to one-half bushel of corn, the return for cream sold was about equivalent to the return on the sale of whole milk. Since the cost of delivering milk daily is greater than that of cream, which may be delivered at intervals of two or three 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 165 days, there is reason for many of the farmers to sell cream rather than milk, especially when a small number of cows are milked. Improving the Dairy Situation. The analysis of the dairy situa- tion in the area suggests various improvements which might be made. The low production per cow indicates an opportunity for emphasizing the improvement of dairy herds and the introduction of better prac- tices. A study of 57 dairy herds in northern Illinois shows the influ- ence of the production per cow on the cost of production, profits, and total farm earnings (Table 15). Improvement of dairy herds in the area has been undertaken thru an extension project developed by the University of Illinois and the local farm bureaus and having to do with the organization of "Dairy Herd Improvement Associations." The object of these associations is "to enable dairymen to secure production records and feed records on each cow in their herds and to acquaint them with desirable practices of feeding, breeding, care, and management." A further development of this project to include more dairymen in the trade area might well be made for the betterment of dairy production. Farmers who are not in position to take up the dairy herd im- provement association work have the opportunity of attending "Dairy Schools" conducted by the extension agencies of the University of Illinois in cooperation with the local farm bureaus. At these schools, which are held for one day in a locality, discussion is centered on de- sirable practices to use in the feeding, breeding, and management of dairy cattle. The "Purebred Sire Project" has for its object the improving of livestock "by encouraging the use of more purebred sires." Thru the exchange of good sires or their cooperative ownership, farmers with smaller herds may improve them at a lower cost than they could independently. Tours and demonstrations held under the auspices of the farm bureau furnish further means for farmers to study the methods of feeding, breeding, care, and management of dairy cattle under prac- tical farm conditions. The fact that 25 percent of all milk consumed in the area was of Grade C, with no guarantee, suggests that there would be opportunity to sell more milk of superior quality if the public were properly informed regarding the advantages of the better grade of milk and its food value in comparison with other foods. While an educational campaign is frequently necessary to increase the consump- tion of superior food products, better markets are often established by such methods. This might well be done for milk. Milk is one food for which, after much research, a definite stand- ard for optimum nutrition has been set. Prominent investigators recommend that each child thruout the period of growth have one quart daily and each adult one pint daily. It is stated by one authority that milk contains "the greatest assortment of nutritive substances of 166 BULLETIN No. 326 P P S (5 a PH Q 2 ^ Si-" O fe gs PH 2 ll. III -^ CCCCOlWOOO 1 : 3-* .0=*^^ThX5 M 3-s O5 O i IN * i to 10 oo 10 * ^H t^. fa ^^ ig "SS2S p-1 O5--iOOIN o 6 4* (N M -* IN 1C 00 CO 1-1 O3 (D i-l < 1 55 ii CO t** CO *O ^t* CD 2 a c 3 1 Total income O C*3 00 i CO to IN CN IN I-H r-i (N w 8 c la-g tdNoo^Tfio 1 O ^s co i * o co r~ b* i OJ CO O O t^ e 1 o OO^ONTO- I w reduction hi C "33 CO TO CN IN N (N Average p s * oo * co to to l2 ^ Jl g CN U5 O * 00 >O * si 5 n CN i-l CN CN r-l rH u < oS' fa group COOINMCOh- o O 3 I "1 1 iii 1929] STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 167 all single food materials, and constitutes the foundation upon which an adequate diet can most safely and most easily be constructed." With the value of milk in the diet so well recognized scientifically, there would seem to be a good basis for a campaign of education to stimulate its greater use. An extension project entitled "Food and Nutrition," developed by the University of Illinois and emphasizing the proper selection of food for health and nutrition, gives prominent place to milk, but this project reaches only a few urban families. Such a project, however, might well be the basis for a general educa- tional campaign in city, as well as in country, for a greater use of milk, since an improved demand for any food product will become effective only in so far as the individual consumers demand the product. POULTRY AND EGGS Production and Farm Sales. Except during a part of the spring period, and also in September in the case of poultry, the area is de- pendent upon outside supplies of poultry and eggs. Poultry and egg production is distinctly a side line with farmers, as is shown by the fact that poultry receipts made up 2.6 percent and egg receipts 3.3 percent of total sales of the 110 farms from which detailed records were obtained. 1 Poultry was produced for sale on 72 of these farms and eggs on 75. Three of the farms sold their poultry outside the area, but the eggs in all instances were sold within the area. Direct sales to city consumers accounted for 4 percent of the poultry and 4 percent of the eggs. Sales to neighbors absorbed 2 percent of the poultry and less than 1 percent of the eggs. The rest of the poultry, 94 percent, was sold to local buyers, and over 95 percent of the eggs were sold to local stores, butcher shops, hucksters, buyers, etc. Forty-nine percent of the poultry sales from these 110 farms took place during the fall and holiday seasons, in the months of October, November, and December, while 62 percent of the egg sales occurred during the four months of March, April, May, and June. Poultry Consumption. The amount of poultry consumed in Moline and nearby cities in the course of a year can be judged from the information obtained from the 458 housewives interviewed. These 458 families used an average of 55.2 pounds each a year, or slightly better than one fowl a month (4.6 pounds). Winter con- sumption averaged 5.6 pounds a month and summer consumption 3.6 pounds. Fryers made up 32 percent of the total poultry consumed, the remainder, 68 percent, being classified as roasting chickens. Less than half, 42 percent, of the poultry purchased was delivered alive, 2 per- cent was delivered killed but not drawn, 5 percent was delivered 'See Table 3, page 144. 168 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, drawn after being purchased alive, and 51 percent was purchased drawn. Nearly two-thirds, 64 percent, of the housewives interviewed pre- ferred home-grown poultry to the shipped-in product. Of those ex- pressing this preference, 9 percent gave no reason for it; 72 percent said that the home-grown poultry was fresher; 12 percent that it was healthier; 2 percent better fattened and 5 percent that it afforded better opportunity for selection. Sixty-two percent of the poultry used by the housewives was fur- nished by local stores; 29 percent was purchased directly from farmers; and 9 percent was furnished by home flocks. Of those who pur- chased from local stores, 93 percent reported the service to be satis- factory and all of those who purchased from farmers were satisfied. Hotels and restaurants reported the use of 1,601 pounds of poultry a week. 1 Of this amount 21 percent was purchased directly from farmers. Records from 67 retail dealers 2 handling farm produce indicate that nearly half, 46 percent, of those interviewed were handling poul- try. Demand for Eggs. The number of eggs consumed by the 458 families interviewed averaged two dozen a week for a family. The fact that consumption is slightly larger in the summer than in the winter is probably largely explained by the lower price prevailing during the summer. Sixty-five percent of the eggs were purchased from local stores, and 30 percent from farmers. Five percent came from flocks owned by the city consumers. The average purchase was 1.7 dozen, or slight- ly less than a week's supply. The consumers interviewed showed no tendency to agree upon preference for any particular color or grade of eggs. White eggs were preferred by 32 percent, brown eggs by 27 percent, and 41 per- cent had no preference or usually bought mixed eggs. It is interesting to note the difference between the housewives' description of the eggs they used and the kind of eggs they actually ordered. The terms they employed in describing the eggs were: strict- ly fresh, 23 percent; storage, less than 1 percent; best, 8 percent; cheapest, 1 percent; small eggs, less than 1 percent; large eggs, 3 percent; culls, 1 percent; country eggs, 2 percent; just "eggs," 62 percent. The descriptions used in ordering were: strictly fresh eggs, 62 percent; country eggs, 7 percent; large eggs, 1 percent; just "eggs," 'In Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, and Silvis the restaurant trade ac- counts for only a very small part of the total consumption of food products. It is estimated that not more than 5,000 meals are served daily in public eating houses in all four cities. 'There were 34 ordinary grocery stores, 26 meat and grocery stores, 4 grocery departments of large department stores, 2 meat markets, and 1 fruit and vege- table department of a meat market. (See page 157.) 1989] STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 169 23 percent; other descriptions, 7 percent. Many housewives who re- ported ordering "strictly fresh eggs" also reported that the eggs re- ceived were sometimes not so good as those received at other times, in- dicating that eggs were not being sold in accordance with careful grad- ing, or that storage eggs were being sold as fresh eggs. Only 54 percent of the consumers interviewed knew whether the eggs which they were using were produced locally or were shipped in. Of those who reported that they knew they were getting local eggs, tw r o-thirds indicated that they could tell this because the local grocer had so informed them, and one-fourth actually knew or thought they knew the farmers from whom the grocers procured the eggs. Only one housewife in sixteen had been buying eggs of any particular brand in cartons. Records from 18 hotels and restaurants serving 3,005 meals a day indicated an average use of 901 dozens of eggs a week. Nearly 42 percent of these eggs had been purchased from farmers. Records from 67 retail dealers show that 94 percent handled eggs. Egg consumption was reported uniform thruout the year by 26 per- cent of the retail dealers, heaviest in spring by 48 percent, heaviest in summer by 20 percent and heaviest in winter by 6 percent. Records of 27 retail dealers indicated an average annual purchase of 358 cases 1 of eggs; 162 cases, or 45 percent being procured from farmers, and 196 cases from local wholesale dealers. The average size of purchase by these retail dealers from farmers was 1.9 cases and from local wholesale dealers, 1.4 cases. Of the eggs purchased from local dealers, 77 percent were graded as select, but only 8 percent of those purchased from farmers were so graded. Thus 92 percent of the eggs bought from farmers were of no stated grade. One-third of the retail dealers reported that they graded eggs purchased of farmers before reselling them. The areas from which eggs handled by dealers were obtained were reported to be as follows: local, 65 percent; Iowa, 30 percent; area unknown, 5 percent. Improving Poultry Production. Poultry is one of the products reported by dealers to be subject to fluctuating demand resulting from employment conditions. Nearly seven-eighths, or 86 percent, of the dealers reported the poultry supply to be adequate. Twenty-nine percent of the retailers reported that the consumption of poultry could be increased if a better supply were available. Few of the retail dealers had any suggestions for improving poultry marketing. The extent to which individual farmers can profitably increase their poul- try production depends upon their success as economical producers. Two of the more important extension projects for poultry improve- ment which have been developed by the University of Illinois and J A case contains 30 dozen. 170 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, promoted by the local farm bureaus are "Poultry Sanitation" and "Poultry Flock Management." The object of the poultry sanitation project is to demonstrate how "to raise chickens free from infestation with parasites and free from disease; and to keep them free as mature flocks." The object of the poultry flock management project is "to encourage better management methods for farm poultry flocks - r to encourage the keeping of records as a basis for studying the efficiency of farm flock production and to develop leaders who will follow im- proved poultry practices, as far as practicable, in order that their flocks may serve as demonstrations of profitable poultry management in their respective communities." Larger Egg Production Justified. Three-fourths of the dealers reported the egg supply inadequate. Most of the consumers were un- able to name any standard grade of eggs. Eggs were not being graded by the producers. Nevertheless, 80 percent of the housewives inter- viewed, who purchased from stores, and 95 percent of those who purchased from farmers were satisfied with the product. This can be explained, however, by the fact that they have not been accustomed to purchasing eggs by grade. An outlet for quality eggs at premium prices in the cities of this area would thus seem to be open to some farmers of the area. While 63 percent of the housewives stated that they were paying enough for TABLE 16. PREMIUMS WHICH 458 HOUSEWIVES IN THE AREA REPORTED WILLING TO PAY FOR HIGH QUALITY EGGS, 1928 Amount of premium per dozen eggs Number and proportion who would pay premium Number Percentage 50 17 71 17 13 1 289 458 10.9 3.7 15.5 3.7 2.8 .2 63.2 100.0 Total their eggs, a considerable proportion expressed a willingness to pay a substantial premium for eggs of high uniform quality. A summary of the replies to the question as to what amount of premium might be paid is shown in Table 16. Inasmuch as 30 percent of the housewives expressed willingness to pay premiums of 5 cents a dozen or more, it appears that there is opportunity for some producers to build up a trade for good eggs that are fresh, uniform in size and color, and that could be delivered to the customers every week in the year. While the production of premium eggs may add to the cost of putting them on the market it should be profitable for some farmers to develop their business along these lines. STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 171 With greater certainty as to grade of eggs purchased, it is likely that consumption of eggs would increase. In many families eggs should fill a more important place in the diet than they do now. They FIG. 5. FRESH EGGS CAREFULLY GRADED AS TO SIZE AND COLOR USUALLY COMMAND BETTER PRICES Such eggs properly displayed attract the discriminating buyer. are a most valuable source of protein, minerals, and vitamins. The yolk is an excellent source of vitamins A, B, and D and also of iron, and is recommended by authorities for early use in the diet of babies. A project might be undertaken whereby selected retail stores would place on sale graded eggs in cartons, each plainly specifying the grade of eggs contained. Attention should be called to facts re- garding (a) the requirements of eggs of different grades, (b) the uses for which different grades of eggs are most suitable, (c) the food value and place of eggs in the diet. Such information might be placed in each carton and also given prominence in advertising and store displays. A properly conducted experiment should suffice to deter- mine the extent and character of consumer preference for various grades of eggs when made available for purchase and to compare sales at retail in stores offering eggs on the basis of grades with sales in similar stores selling only ungraded eggs. FRUITS Local Production Short of Demand. The average quantities of various fruits consumed in 1927 by each of the 458 families inter- viewed were as follows: apples, 2.4 bushels; peaches, 1.4 bushels; pears, .5 bushel; cherries, .3 crate; raspberries, .6 crate; blackberries, .4 crate; strawberries, .6 crate. If all families in the area consumed the same average amounts of fruit as these families, the total con- sumption in the cities of the area for a year would exceed 60,000 bushels of apples, 35,000 bushels of peaches, 13,000 bushels of pears, 172 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, 7,500 crates of cherries, and 40,000 crates of berries, including rasp- berries, blackberries and strawberries. Considerable quantities of some of these fruits were produced locally, and only a little fruit was shipped out of the area during the year, but the local supplies fell far short of meeting the local de- mands. The quantities shipped in from outside sources, for consump- tion in these cities and adjacent territory, so far as information was available, were as follows: apples, 23,929 bushels; peaches, 23,826 bushels, pears, 3,804 bushels, 1 and berries, 25,796 crates. 2 (No sep- arate data were secured on cherries) . That home canning of fruits is not a lost art in these cities is evident from the fact that most of the families interviewed reported canning fruit for winter use, the average amount of such fruit being 54.2 quarts per family. This represented 46 percent of the' total con- sumption of canned fruit by these families. Most people in the area purchase their fruits from local stores, tho 14 percent of the purchases by the families interviewed were made directly from farmers. Many of the stores handle fruit produced locally. According to the reports secured from 67 retail dealers, 24 percent of the apples and 31 percent of the pears they handled were purchased directly from the farmers in the vicinity. Home-Grown Fruits Preferred. That home-grown fruit is popular with the consumers is evident from the fact that of the families in- terviewed, 70 percent expressed a preference for it over fruit shipped in. The principal reasons given for the preference were better quality, better flavor, and better maturity. All three of these reasons really mean better flavor. Information secured from the retail dealers cor- roborated the statements obtained directly from the consumers. When the dealers were asked if their customers expressed any preference for local farm produce, over two-thirds answered that they did. The reasons given, in the order of their frequency, were that the products were fresher, of better flavor, and cheaper. Nearly four-fifths of the dealers expressed a decided preference for locally grown products. The hotels and restaurants also appreciate home-grown fruit, their purchases of apples directly from farmers amounting to 23 percent of their total purchases of this commodity, as reported by 18 eating houses in Rock Island and Moline. The chief objections to home-grown fruits mentioned by the hotel men and by the 22 percent of local dealers not preferring home-grown products were the lack of a certain and continuous supply, and in some cases lack of proper grading. A few farmers have catered especially to the hotel and restaurant trade, one specializing in apples, 2 Based on estimate of 41 pounds to the crate (24-quart crates). 'Estimated at 50 pounds to the bushel. 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 173 another in small fruits, and so on. These farmers have built up a busi- ness based on reliable delivery of high-class products. One apple man has a storage house of his own so that he can supply the trade thru a large part of the winter as well as thru the summer and fall months. Thus while there is a decided preference for home-grown fruit, the markets in the area are being only partially supplied with the local product even during the season of local production. Opportunities for Increased Production of Better Fruit. Large areas of land in Rock Island county are well suited to fruit pro- duction. 1 The climate in this region is favorable for the production of FIG. 6. A MODERN AIR-COOLED STORAGE PLANT FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WELL LOCATED FOR RETAIL TRADE A plant such as this lengthens the period over which local produce may be supplied to consumers in competition with commodities produced at more distant points. all the fruits that have been mentioned in this discussion with the exception of peaches. On account of the temperature hazard, the 7,898 2 peach trees reported as in Rock Island county in 1925 are not likely to be much of a factor in the local fruit supply. Altho only 9 farmers out of 110 reporting sold any fruit and only one made fruit growing his principal business, there is opportunity for a few more farmers to go into the fruit business and for those already in the business to increase their production. Small fruits can be produced advantageously to supply more fully the local market during the season of local production. Cold-storage facilities are avail- able in Davenport, so that apples may be stored for winter trade and thus the marketing of this product extended over a longer season. It has even been suggested that conditions are sufficiently favorable 'Soil Report 31, Rock Island County Soils, Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station. 2 U. S. Census, 1925, Part I, Northern States, page 545. 174 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, for the production of apples on the loess soils of Rock Island county to warrant growing them for carlot shipment to outside markets. In meeting the demands of such markets standardized grading is espe- cially important. Some fruit growers in this trade area, cooperating with the Uni- versity of Illinois and the local farm bureaus, have worked toward improved practices in fruit production. Three projects have been pro- FIG. 7. A PLANT FOR RECEIVING, PROCESSING, AND STORING FARM PRODUCTS Adequate storage and handling facilities are essential in centers of large population if local producers are to be given the opportunity of supplying the local market with out-of-season commodities. moted to this end; namely, "Orchard Soil Management," "Pruning of Fruit Trees and Plants," and "Thinning of Fruits." The first of these projects is designed to demonstrate "profitable practices relating to the use of nitrogenous fertilizers, animal manure, legume soil-building crops, cover crops, and mulching materials in the orchard." The second is to demonstrate "the correct manner of training the young fruit plants, and the proper method of handling bearing fruit plants during their maturity." The third is to demonstrate to peach and apple growers "the correct methods of thinning young immature fruits, so as to increase the size of fruits left on the tree for maturity." POTATOES Local Production Less Than Demand. The acreage of potatoes in Rock Island county at present is less than one-half the acreage grown twenty-five years ago, having been reduced from over 2,500 1929] STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 175 acres to about 1,200 acres. Local growers furnish only about one- third of the potatoes consumed locally. Consumer Preferences. Of the 458 families interviewed, 54 per- cent expressed a preference for home-grown potatoes, 43 percent pre- ferred potatoes shipped in, and 3 percent could see no difference. Flavor, cooking, and eating qualities, as shown in Table 17, were the most important factors in determining the preference for home- TABLE 17. REASONS REPORTED BY 458 HOUSEWIVES IN THE AREA FOR PREFERENCES FOR HOME-GROWN OR SHIPPED-!N POTATOES, 1928 Reasons for preference Preferring home-grown potatoes Preferring shipped-in potatoes Flavor perct. 30.4 perct. 18.2 12.2 6.3 Cost 6.8 1.6 2 6 2.9 Keeping qualities 7.6 13.5 4.2 2.1 35.9 55.2 Total 100.0 100.0 grown or shipped-in potatoes. Uniformity was not considered an im- portant factor if the other desired qualities were obtained. Dealers' Attitude Toward Home-Grown Potatoes. Some of the outstanding comments of the dealers interviewed were in regard to the grading of local potatoes. Of the potatoes purchased from farmers. 87 percent were field run; 10 percent were graded as U. S. No. 1, and 3 percent as select potatoes. In contrast with these figures, 92 percent of the potatoes purchased thru local wholesale dealers, which in the main are shipped-in potatoes, were U. S. No. 1 and 8 percent were U. S. No. 2. Even tho 25 percent of the local dealers grade local potatoes after purchasing them from farmers, over 60 percent of them are sold ungraded. Thus locally grown potatoes are at a disadvantage when the careful grading of shipped-in potatoes is considered. Differences in keeping quality between home-grown and shipped- in potatoes do not seem to be serious. While 43 percent of the stores reported that the spoilage of local potatoes was greater than that of potatoes shipped in, 27 percent reported less loss and 30 percent re- ported about the same. The heavier spoilage of the home-grown pota- toes can be traced to the fact that most of them are sold during the three summer months of July, August, and September, and the re- mainder of them usually reach market in the fall or early winter. Thirty percent of the stores reported that they would use more locally grown potatoes if they were available more months of the year; 28 percent stated that they could use more if they were proper- 176 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, ly graded ; 19 percent if a winter supply were available ; 6 percent if outside competition could be met, and 3 percent if farmers would provide a more dependable supply. The remaining 14 percent ex- pressed no ideas on the question. Of the stores interviewed, 85 per- cent reported that the farm supply of potatoes was adequate during the summer months. Problems Involved in Increased Production. While so far as con- sumers or dealers are concerned, it would seem that the acreage of potatoes grown locally could be increased to advantage, producers must take into account the competition of more favorably located areas. Corn-belt states in general, including Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Iowa, as well as Illinois, produce fewer potatoes than are used locally, while the states to the north, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, produce far in excess of their needs. The average annual deficiency of potatoes in Illinois for the five-year period 1921 to 1925 amounted to 17,500,000 bushels. While these facts suggest that it may be difficult for Illinois farmers to compete with production in these northern states in raising all of the potatoes needed here, further testing out of approved practices of production seem to be justified. Successful potato production in Illinois requires considerable at- tention to the control of insects and diseases. This means that if one is to grow potatoes successfully, spraying machinery is essential. Also, if any large acreage is handled, other special potato machinery is needed to reduce the cost of production. Most of the potato growers in the area studied devote only a small acreage to the crop and do not feel justified in making a large outlay for special equipment. The area, however, is well adapted to growing some varieties of potatoes, especially the Early Ohio. Some communities in Illinois have been quite successful in growing early potatoes and even some potatoes for the late market thru following the most approved methods of produc- tion. In some sections the growing of what are called "straw" potatoes, that is, potatoes which are grown under a covering of straw, has been a success. This has the advantage of conserving the moisture and im- proving the quality of the potato, and has been successful farther south in the state at least. It is hardly possible, however, to follow such practice on a large acreage because of the amount of straw required. The fact that about one-third of the potatoes used in this area are grown locally suggests that some people find them a profitable crop, at least in meeting the demand during a portion of the year. While the small acreage devoted to potatoes on most farms does not justify the ownership of special potato equipment, careful practice in growing potatoes might justify some farmers in growing a larger acreage and in making use of good equipment. It should be possible 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 177 also for farmers to own special equipment cooperatively, when the acreage grown on single farms does not justify individual ownership. VEGETABLES Preference for Home-Grown Vegetables. Tomatoes, carrots, green beans, cabbage, and sweet corn are the vegetables that were purchased most often by the 458 families interviewed. No effort was made to get a statement of the amount of vegetables consumed by these fami- lies during the year since it was felt that answers to such a question could not be very accurate. Nearly 70 percent of the vegetables purchased by these families were procured from the local stores, 20 percent from farmers, and 10 percent from street peddlers, as nearly as could be ascertained. Vege- tables were purchased from local stores thruout the year, but from farmers and peddlers mainly during the summer. Part of the vege- tables produced in summer were canned for winter use. The average quantity of vegetables canned at home was 35 quarts per family and represented 29 percent of the total consumption of canned vegetables. In addition to the vegetables purchased, 42 percent of the housewives reported procuring part of their vegetables from their home gardens. Many of the vegetables bought by consumers thru the local stores are home-grown. The stores reported making extensive use of local products during the summer months. Several farmers near these cities devote all of their efforts to vegetable production, some selling to local stores and others directly to consumers. Very few vegetables are shipped out of the area except onions and tomatoes grown for a canning factory in Muscatine. During the year 2,127,250 pounds of onions and 5,320,000 pounds of tomatoes were sent out of the area. Home-grown cabbage dominates the markets during July, August, and September. On the other hand, considerable quantities of vegetables are shipped into this area. These included 268,050 pounds of onions, 739,290 pounds of melons, 538,190 pounds of cabbage, 143,090 pounds of tomatoes, 631,110 pounds of lettuce, 256,650 pounds of celery, and 2,739,470 pounds of other vegetables. Eighty-six percent of the housewives interviewed expressed a preference for home-gro\vn vegetables, and 70 percent felt sure that they could tell the difference between the home-grown products and those shipped in. Further Opportunities for Local Growers. The local markets could be more fully supplied with home-grown products if provision were made on farms for the winter storage of root crops and cabbage. Cabbage is abundant in summer, but there is little effort toward pro- ducing a fall crop and storing it for winter. The same seems to be largely true of root crops. The principal home-grown vegetables men- 178 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, tioned as available in winter were lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots. The lettuce and tomatoes were grown in a local greenhouse; the carrots probably were stored. Altho only 10 of the 110 farmers reported selling vegetables, there are certain sections in this area where vegetable production is prac- ticed quite extensively. Some of the soils contain enough sand to be well adapted to the production of early vegetables. In favorable seasons the local markets are sometimes oversupplied with home- FIG. 8. HUCKSTER WAGONS TAKE PRODUCE TO HOMES THRUOUT THE CITIES OF THE AREA Much of the produce handled by these wagons is home-grown. grown vegetables. This was true in 1928. On the other hand, there usually is a shortage in dry seasons as a result of low yield. This irregularity of supply from season to season is a handicap to the most effective marketing. Vegetable producers for the local city markets may well give more attention to the results of two extension projects developed by the University of Illinois and the local farm bureaus. One project, "Com- mercial Gardening Demonstrations," dealing largely with the proper fertilizing of vegetable crops, has been carried on in several counties. In a demonstration in a nearby county during the past season the yields of cabbage were doubled by the use of the right kind of ferti- lizer. In 1927 comparable results were secured on tomatoes. A proj- ect to increase the use of "Disease-Resistant Cabbage and Tomatoes" has been carried on in various counties. The project demonstrated that these two important crops can be grown in disease-infected soil if resistant varieties are planted. In the supplying of the winter demand for vegetables a further field for possible improvement in marketing is suggested. A study might be made to find out whether local market gardeners could in- crease their business and its profitableness by storing fall-grown roots and other vegetables, and selling them during the winter. Vegetables 1929] STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 179 that might well be considered in this connection are beets, carrots, parsnips, salsify, turnips, celeriac, cabbage, onions and squashes. To overcome the irregularity of the supply of vegetables in differ- ent seasons the installation of irrigation systems on vegetable areas located near the rivers might well be given careful consideration. Such irrigation has proved profitable in various other localities where vege- table crops of high value per acre were grown, and might be an effec- tive means in this area of insuring a more regular supply of home- grown vegetables over a longer period of the year. ADDITIONAL ASPECTS OF THE MARKETING SITUATION Facts were secured in the area concerning (1) the tendencies in the use of transportation facilities in the case of farm products; (2) the relation between prices that wholesale and retail dealers have paid local producers and those paid by consumers; (3) developments in the cooperative shipment of livestock; and (4) the extent to which roadside marketing has been affording an outlet for farm products. TRANSPORTATION All inbound and outbound shipments of corn, oats, barley, rye, hay, sweet potatoes, and limestone during the year were made in car- load lots (Table 18) . In the case of all the other selected commodities there was some less-than-carload shipment or some shipment in trucks. Less-than-carload shipments were indicated as constituting 100 percent of the outbound movement of pears and fruit not specially designated except as "other" fruit, and of the inbound shipments of lemons. Other products that moved frequently in less-than-carload shipments were: (outbound) cream, 37 percent; eggs, 23 percent; feed, 22 percent; and dressed poultry, 13 percent; (inbound) onions, 95 percent; cream, 37 percent; cheese, 23 percent; oleo, 13 percent; and grapefruit, 11 percent. Trucks were used widely to bring in fruits, vegetables, dairy, and poultry products, and to ship out live poultry, cream, and feed. They were used exclusively for outbound shipments of tomatoes. Ninety- five percent of live poultry outbound was so shipped; 89 percent of onions; 78 percent of feed; 63 percent of cream; and 39 percent of hogs. Truck shipments accounted for 100 percent of the inbound raw milk, live poultry, and wheat. Thus more live poultry, cream, feed, and tomatoes were handled by truck than by rail in both inbound and outbound movements. PRICE MARGINS Information on prices was secured from five different sources. Prices received by farmers by months during the year were reported for cattle, hogs, poultry, eggs, cream, butter, and milk. Prices for 180 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, TABLE 18. PERCENTAGE OF FARM PRODUCE TRANSPORTED INTO AND OUT OF AREA BY VARIOUS METHODS, SEPTEMBER 1, 1927, TO AUGUST 31, 1928 Outbound Inbounc I Product Carload Less than carload Truck Carload Less than carload Truck Livestock and livestock products Cattle 92 8 99 1 Hogs 61 39 100 Sheep . .... 91 9 100 Live poultry 5 95 100 Dressed poultry 87 13 100 23 22 * 100 Butter None None None * 100 "None 23 77 37 63 37 63 Raw milk None 100 79 * 20 90 7 2 Oleo None None None 9 13 78 Horses 100 * 100 Crops 100 100 Oats 100 100 Wheat . . . 100 100 100 None None None Hay 100 100 Feed 22 78 4 6 90 Rye 100 None None None Vegetables Potatoes 92 8 68 * 32 10 1 89 95 5 None 45 * 55 Cabbage None 31 * 68 100 22 76 Lettuce None 22 2 76 Celery None 8 o 90 78 3 19 Sweet potatoes None 100 Fruits 10 * 90 Apples None 44 1 55 Peaches None 30 70 100 25 1 74 Grapefruit None 89 11 95 5 None 100 Other fruit 100 66 9 25 *Less than 1. poultry, eggs, butterfat, and butter were taken as quoted by a produce company in Davenport for the fifteenth day of each month. Whole- sale prices were collected from three wholesale houses by months on important fruits and vegetables (Table 19). Four grocery stores furnished prices for poultry, eggs, butter, apples, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, and onions, and one large grocery store supplied retail prices on 23 products for three days of each month in the year (Table 20). The amounts by which retail prices of eggs, sweet potatoes and head lettuce stood above wholesale prices were fairly uniform thru- out the year. Cabbage, celery, spinach, and onions had retail prices above the wholesale at all seasons of the year, but with spreads or margins sometimes wide and sometimes narrow. The fact that retail 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 181 M 00 . >.*<* -0 -.Ct- -b- 3 s* -<;* -O ;P5j* -00 X ^ O u tO 00 ^1* 1C I s * *1CO 1-5 * ININiCO 'i-i -TfO 'INO 3 U5^^ -COCOOOO -tO 3 iC CD iC COCiOO(N(N ^-* ^ -i-i CO t s? -i . CO-tO^OCO^OOOOtO s u tOtO-^^OOt^COOOtOT( IN oo m to co co IN 10 N 1-1 CO -!>-< >3 s 5 0-N -00 . 01 NO>^ 8 rH .N CO i-Hi-t tO ej OCO -1CCO -OOOCOt- CO COtOOO -INOO TI O5 CO Tf CO 0^^, . .^, . "50N^ 03 1-5 8 Nr-o> -o co ^ co IN * . .1-1 . N Ni-l CO IN N -1COO -00 -TJIOOCO --H Apples, bushel H 5 w C IM O 1 O CM a OS H J CO < oo H 5 ^ Z CO < & O M go g SH w^ ^ 6 I 2 M 3 1 i t- ii^i < - s " V 3 \ ocoo OCOOtOlCOOO 0^0 tcoou: :SS2*5!22S 1-1 LOCO 08 8 n OOO .^OiCtOOOt-CO O050 I^CO-H l^ O t~ t^ 1C 1C CO '-ffn a w CO to a 001- OCOtDCOiCOOCO o~w t^cotc !C^tOf*C*lOiCOO co *-* c^ ^* I-H r-i co i-n ic to m t~ IN o # co -I^IN a> fe t^ i 000 lCCOOONOCOb ocoo oo co ic NCOiCt>.i-HOOi-l i-itOPJ cj 1-5 U5 * i OOO 01-O.C.CO.CO ONtO OOi-liC :ss8gas ^ S 8 US o M OOO -t^ -OONOt^t- oot- ^22 : :s r-'S-SsS 2fcS o s M . ot^rocooo -ccts-ocoo o^cos t-tooo i-HNN CO INCO 2S3 o O CO s t-ot> WOCO -tOINOO^ OTf *"5.H (NO3Tl< -T)cco ceo JTIES, ILLINOI dicated Scott (Iowa) j^ CO GC * t" CNrS IH COMNOO Or~ 1C CO O O 00 1-1 IN i i CO CO ^- CNcD *-HiCO500COOOOO CO OS O3 O3 CM X ** CO t- IC-*COT< t^'* 1-1 CO tCOi-l IN ISLAND Cou? voted to crops ir Henry 1|| CNOIcN^C COC5 T^ 1C 00 CO cN C * * 1CO100X O5iC TJI X XI-HIN IN CO CO i-l O C iC t t- O) r~-t^iCi-" ti-l INCNN'-i M SM< "C * CO X I-H 00 M 1-H B E fc *-H O -UTILIZATION OF I rea rm land i CO (N W - H ApproximatR land a All land in farms. . Pasture and other ff Total crop area Crop area in: Grains J i&liJSj J!j Bj jj ^SlipJi a o 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 193 TABLE 24. NUMBERS OF LIVESTOCK, BY CLASSES, IN HENRY AND ROCK ISLAND COUNTIES, ILLINOIS, AND SCOTT COUNTY, IOWA, JANUARY 1, 1925 l Total number Number per 1,000 acres of farm land Rock Island Henry Scott (Iowa) Rock Island Henry Scott (Iowa) Horses and mules Cattle Dairy 8 993 8 142 11 171 2 719 67 820 212 510 19 085 9 103 33 248 6 465 139 549 342 982 10 616 12 598 15 674 1 692 88 094 280 430 40 36 50 12 302 945 41 19 71 14 298 734 42 49 62 7 346 1 100 Beef Chickens HI. S. Census, 1925. TABLE 25. POPULATION OF ROCK ISLAND AND HENRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS, AND SCOTT COUNTY, IOWA, AND LARGEST CITIES IN THOSE COUNTIES, 1890-1920 1 1920 1910 1900 1890 Rock Island county 92 297 70 404 55 249 41 917 8 675 2 665 Moline 30 734 24 199 17 248 12 000 Rock Island 35 177 24 335 19 493 13 634 Silvis 2 541 1 163 Henry county 45 162 41 736 40 049 33 338 73 952 60 000 51 558 43 164 56 727 43 028 35 254 26 872 Bettendorf 2 178 909 U. S. Census. TABLE 26. NUMBER OF PERSONS EMPLOYED BY FIVE COMPANIES IN THE AREA, 1924-1928 Month 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 Average for four years 1924-1927 January 6 478 6 528 7 164 7 083 6 552 6 813 6 401 6 459 7 208 6 983 6 531 6 763 March 6 374 6 513 7 164 7 017 6 751 6 767 April 6 518 6 636 7 223 6 967 6 869 6 836 6 576 6 619 7 181 7 217 7 352 6 898 June 6 416 6 798 6 954 7 455 7 839 6 906 July 5 992 6 487 6 679 7 619 6 694 August 6 278 6 894 6 955 7 659 6 946 6 394 6 942 6 970 7 324 6 907 October 6 515 7 064 7 080 7 388 7 012 6 644 7 091 7 644 7 280 7 165 December. . . 6 426 7 056 7 328 6 967 6 944 Average 6 418 6 757 7 129 7 246 6 982' 'Six months' average. 194 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, TABLE 27. NUMBER OF AND AVERAGE WAGES OF SALARIED AND OTHER PERSONS EMPLOYED BY THREE. COMPANIES IN THE AREA, JANUARY, 1924, TO SEPTEMBER, 1928 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 Number 225 244 267 218 139 Other employees 1 386 1 748 1 914 1 511 1 502 Total 1 611 1 992 2 181 1 729 1 641 Ratio of salaried to other employees 1 to 6.2 1 to 7.2 1 to 7.2 1 to 6.9 1 to 10.8 Yearly income $2 105 $2 137 $2 141 $2 196 $2 098 Other employees $1 343 $1 406 $1 444 $1 386 $1 395 TABLE 28. AVERAGE MONTHLY WAGE PAID TO EMPLOYEES OF FIVE COMPANIES IN THE AREA, 1924-1928 Month 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 Average for four years 1924-1927 January $128 $131 $131 $129 $132 $130 124 126 127 123 130 125 March 126 134 136 136 133 133 April 128 128 133 129 130 129 129 126 129 130 134 128 June 124 124 127 130 124 126 July 132 128 132 126 129 August 134 126 132 133 131 September 127 128 129 129 128 134 134 134 132 133 November 122 124 128 130 126 December 130 138 134 130 133 The year $128 $129 $131 $130 $130" $129 'Six months' average. STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 195 i o ^* osf l c^''4*cocococo>Jotooo g MNNN ^J* 00 00 00 *O to W oc to * ic co co TC U5 O Jt o 1! . hCOt>-^ 4 ^COOO^'t-"COC^OO t-OltOININOOOOO 0^ 2 "1! W * J tt - ^ M H H Jd D cj!S ^ I s - *O O ^ "pj pJO08'JI Of^ ^ft'-OCiC^iOOO CO o O fe - - - 3 3 OC.OO 00:05003050=6 co 1 $ 2 I i * "3 'I *.!> "301 toco "c C3 c" O rttH O Cheese* i""*;.^ HKIIH 1MCO O c" o a f I 1 I q 1* "isHssI tCWlDOOOCOOO oc oc I except Cra -. 2 1 5 W a (N U3 -H ^ !> t 00 CO >fl O g CO r-i 1-1 CN IN IN N CO 1> t CO to (NOC^Tft^iO^IN iM^tor-tor-ato -ito including al shipments. u . ^ i B -3 1 & - 1 -> ,;;;;; Totals for 192' Totals for last 'Completf 'Includes 'Record ii Records *Less thai 196 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, Sw pota SrH C>C>1(N )r-.Q -O -Tj"-H ) CO -CO CO u-5 O iO O 1C U5 O mo 1 U5 Ci 00 ^ CO T O * a ~ ** oo " *" 00 OO C! :O 1/3 O -* >-T - OO t^. i I O C*l tO OS -^ Tf iO ^ OO I s - O to Hrt o CO i~< C^ I i i i 1 1-* i-* i ( i I ^< i ( I -i 13 O -CO -CO -N OOO V V -* U3 t"; i~ - ^1 ^ to tOtO C ^ O5 CKJ g 3 .;; ^xoot^ ' -oo -co B3 o * : : ; ;,H^CO ;:^:: rt ..t,co H 5" -OP" -oooo oos^aees 22 3 .5 .55o ---5ioiSoS5 oo < o >1 03 3 C a 5 J= o e ajl 1 ^^ II O t. s- 2 c ga -H-H- 5 ^ ' O o H fc* ' t- u o S .^. oo^* *-*" KcsJt- 1 00 " * * "3 o! "o'o HH STUDY OP RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 197 S- CM CO CO O5 CN O * OS OS - * CN t- IN (N CN i TJH UTO> co IN CNCN 1-IOO-* II-H-HI-C -COCNrooOOOCN i-l -CNI^t^cOCN CNCN COCO Spc Oc CNCoro CNCO rocooo COCN COO CNCO (NOCOCOOOOOOOOCNCOCN COOOOO 1-1 CD O "O rH IO CN * 00 CN CO t^ro^co^ (COrf moo coo coio CNO orocoocoio-H^nroroooro CNCNCNCOO'NOOOt-iiOro'H r* o co -^ o ro co co * o CD * t- CO 00 O 00 "-I O CO i-it CO CN CO CO CO CN -H i-HCNi-Hi-l CN CO CN CO CN CN -H -H . *oroco^*coioooi < o oo co CN rooococoM*o^o ^*co ^N t* t*- o i *Tjo co oooo * CO CN CN IN CM I COOCO t^ * ^ CO * CO TjdO .L"". -J^tJ^Qn t*.L'". C_fl" ' -SPc X> It m .a '.-" 229'.:,; : i^ g 2S"Sj,; ~- 2 "o? ; CO --I 00 IN M CM 00 O * > O C CN rt ' 1-1 i I ^H t^ T(< i-l ffl CN30 i < H ^ ** ft, > gCOt^MO---i SSI EH ^ = g -S ^ : : : : ;*- ^^ :::::: ;3 H H OQ CROOOCOCOCJ! o M S p tNN Q J ^ "S eo5cot^ot^f^5i~o?li.-:^ OLO^rfcoincoco U a _ 3 ~ a H OQ fe O | i 1 ::::::::::: :::::::: ::l ^ t v O ^* CO -S H o^ 3 j .' .:.:.... s ^ 2 :::::::::::: :::::::: s - H :;:;;;;;:;;; ;;;;;;;; &; is OS gj Jj .g .;|J >;&;::: :j ^ i! SoS Qot- a 5-* . "*^ M} jn Q > J iSS a 3 S"?d x< si 3 "3 "3 "* > 2 .0 5 s > tf_>>!* 33 o o HE* STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 199 ) ir3 O iO O iO < < IN * 00 (O t? < "3t>.N ooooioooo mo i^-^-^o-'jiooooh- IT- C^TJ-i 00 f) >O >O CO CD >O O MfCOOOOCDiN " CO CO CO * CO CO r-< **t 5 rH rH r- CO SI ^fe^S>^< Hh 1929} STUDY OP RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 201 TABLE 31. NUMBER op FARMS REPORTING THE GROWING OP THE PRODUCTS SPECIFIED : HENRY AND ROCK ISLAND COUNTIES, ILLINOIS, AND SCOTT COUNTY, IOWA, 1924 1 Products Rock Island county Henry county Scott county, Iowa Cereals Corn 1 630 Wheat 344 Oats 1 241 Barley 118 Rye 91 Buckwheat 3 Hay Timothy alone 291 Mixed hay 832 Clovers 274 Alfalfa 417 Vegetables Potatoes 1 305 Sweet potatoes 8 Cabbages 137 Cantaloupes and muskmelons 65 Lettuce 38 Onions 103 Sweet corn 218 Tomatoes 168 Watermelons 33 Fruits Apple trees 1 531 Peach trees 882 Pear trees 1 016 Plum trees 742 Grape vines 1 168 Strawberries 161 Livestock Beef cattle 862 Dairy cows 1 140 Cows milked 1 630 Sheep 138 Swine 1 421 Chickens... 1 775 2 817 669 2 526 582 189 1 706 1 239 445 472 741 2 19 3 4 18 77 19 5 2 476 1 549 1 318 1 216 1 741 42 2 318 1 540 2 809 315 2 651 2 845 1 941 889 1 670 292 95 4 465 1 128 288 579 283 3 73 9 11 155 90 76 16 1 877 957 1 052 795 1 280 106 1 038 1 262 2 030 107 1 650 2 155 U. S. Census, 1925. 202 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, TABLE 32. SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL RECORDS ON 44 FARMS IN THE AREA, 1927 Average for 44 farms 15 most profitable farms 15 least profitable farms $49 987 34 813 5 275 1 891 2 960 5 048 604 2 395 1 844 41 164 $ 5 711 613 38 8 5 052 $57 098 39 716 5 943 1 945 3 380 6 114 658 3 572 1 659 66 159 $ 8 067 1 592 58 15 6 402 $43 828 30 597 4 240 1 706 2 385 4 900 506 1 988 2 232 4 170 $ 3 823 Land Buildings Feed, grain, and supplies Livestock, total Cattle Hogs Sheep Poultry Feed, grain, and supplies Labor off farm 23 6 3 794 Livestock, total Horses Cattle 1 681 2 506 38 137 160 530 $ 2 166 29 234 519 2 854 2 605 46 171 183 543 $ 2 501 10 268 567 699 2 209 19 97 162 608 $ 2 024 34 176 427 129 133 208 530 353 34 $ 1 799 992 807 Hogs Sheep Poultry Egg sales Dairy sales Decrease in horses Farm improvements Machinery and equipment Feed, grain, and supplies Miscellaneous livestock expense 95 226 630 402 31 $ 3 545 1 017 2 528 69 239 823 493 32 $ 5 566 1 030 4 536 Hired labor Taxes, insurance Miscellaneous expense Receipts less expenses Operator's and unpaid family labor . . .... Net income from investment 1999} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 203 TABLE 33. AVERAGE RESULTS FROM 117 FARMS IN WETHERS- FIELD TOWNSHIP, HENRY COUNTY, ILLINOIS, 1927 1 Factors helping to analyze the farm business Average of 117 farms 39 most profitable farms 39 least profitable farms 2.3% $ -395 182.9 67.8 30.1 1.6 $39 850 30 160 4 069 1 359 1 326 2 936 477 986 1 259 106 108 $ 3 523 939 18 2 566 469 1 447 73 105 83 389 $ 1 646 281 15 384 81 138 314 410 23 $ 1 877 980 897 36.3 34.1 15.9 $104 83 123 147 78 24.6 17.9 $ 19.26 14.36 4.90 6.1% $ 1 137 176.6 68.4 28.9 3.1 $38 106 29 072 3 814 1 318 1 304 2 598 493 852 1 091 56 106 $ 4 646 1 842 23 2 781 486 1 646 106 127 86 330 $ 1 411 228 1 362 55 140 237 362 26 $ 3 235 905 2 330 41.4 36.2 16.0 $123 92 152 163 84.4 25.3 18.0 $ 26.31 13.12 13.19 -1.4% $-1 890 175.1 62.8 27.3 .8 $39 892 29 782 4 369 1 375 1 195 3 171 488 1 093 1 404 82 104 $ 2 311 108 23 2 180 485 1 242 23 69 67 294 $ 1 829 338 20 400 138 116 393 403 21 $ 482 1 036 -554 31.1 31.1 17.4 $ 83 66 98 115 65.4 23.8 16.9 $ 13.20 16.36 -3.16 Size of farm, acres Machinery and equipment Feed and supplies Cattle Sheep Poultry Livestock, total Cattle Sheep Poultry Farm improvements Machinery and equipment Labor hired Taxes, insurance Receipts less expenses Operator's and unpaid family labor Net income from investment Crop yields, bushels Corn Oats Wheat Returns for $100 invested in all productive livestock For $100 in cattle For $100 in hogs For $100 in poultry Crop acres per horse Net receipts per acre l These data were obtained in December, 1927, from a survey made of practically all farms in the township. 204 BULLETIN No. 326 [May, TABLE 34. NUMBER AND SIZE OF FARMS IN ROCK ISLAND COUNTY, ILLINOIS, 1900-1925 l 1900 1910 1920 1925 Total number of farms 2 058 1 909 2 045 1 857 Average size of farm, acres 120.4 124.6 119 2 121 1 Number of farms Under 3 acres 9 9 36 3 to 9 acres 95 104 189 148 10 to 19 acres 105 89 109 121 20 to 49 acres 342 264 261 233 50 to 99 acres 489 447 423 428 100 to 174 acres 583 564 577 507 175 to 259 acres 258 243 267 250 260 to 499 acres 159 174 161 155 500 to 999 acres 15 14 21 14 1,000 acres and up 3 1 1 1 U. S. Census. TABLE 35. NUMBER OF ACRES IN DIFFERENT CROPS AND NUMBER OF FRUIT TREES, ROCK ISLAND COUNTY, ILLINOIS, 1900-1925 1 1900 1910 1920 1925 Corn acres 67 831 acres 62 994 acres 58 508 acres 64 744 Oats 24 411 17 963 22 337 24 781 Wheat 667 3 173 10 745 5 588 Barley 323 1 768 2 653 1 250 Rye 3 021 2 975 5 557 2 845 Buckwheat 109 702 92 85 Total hay.. 31 392 33 623 34 115 24 922 Alfalfa 13 28 719 2 724 Clover 918 2 137 3 377 3 832 Other hay 30 461 31 458 30 019 17 366 Potatoes 2 583 2 246 1 886 1 226 21 4 5 8 Other vegetables 1 163 i 801 1 429 1 877* Strawberries 54 82 75 75 Apple trees number 66 253 number 52 686 number 43 086 number 43 385 Peach trees 3 400 26 639 5 237 7 898 Pear trees 576 4 863 4 746 5 532 Plum trees 7 105 10 219 i 5 000 Grape vines 48 500 32 532 26 164 66 853 1 U. S. Census; includes home gardens. Vegetables grown for sale. Does not include farm gardens. Not available. 1929} STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 205 TABLE 36. ORGANIZATION OF THREE SUCCESSFUL FARMS IN THE AREA, 1925-1927 (Average of three years) Beef-cattle feeding and hog farm Dairy and hog farm Beef-cattle raising and hog farm Rate earned 8.3% 8.9% 6 0% $3 706 $1 965 $1 253 Size of farm, acres 380.0 153.3 165 Acres in: Corn 120.3 42.0 62 Oats 42.0 22.0 31 Wheat 7.3 Barley 31.0 2.5 9 4.7 1 7 Alfalfa hay 16.4 10.7 10 Mixed hay 7.3 8.3 221.7 94.5 112 Acres in tillable pasture 73.3 47.7 41 5 Total tillable acres 295.0 142.2 153.5 Non-tillable pasture 79.7 6 1 Farmstead 5.3 10.5 10.5 Capital investment, total $90 407 $32 716 $51 392 52 333 20 933 37 125 Farm improvements 15 976 5 693 6 096 Machinery and equipment 4 370 1 623 1 009 5 451 1 479 3 538 Livestock, total 12 277 2 988 3 624 Horses 1 152 267 995 Cattle 6 550 1 628 1 315 Hogs 4 268 875 1 114 Sheep 95 Poultry 307 123 200 $14 619 $5 025 $5 585 Feed, grain and supplies 293 349 Labor off farm 128 270 39 Livestock, total 14 491 4 423 5 236 Horses 158 Cattle 8 164 593 1 676 Hogs 5 306 1 869 2 420 Sheep 59 Poultry 297 223 494 Egg sales 462 65 325 Dairy sales 262 1 614 163 Expenses and net decreases, total S6 010 $1 382 $1 592 638 270 203 Machinery and equipment 1 345 280 188 1 317 91 41 32 Miscellaneous crop expense 447 78 208 Hired labor 1 420 522 602 Taxes, insurance. . . ... 639 138 334 Miscellaneous 91 31 25 22 22 Receipts less expenses $8 609 $3 643 $3 993 Operator's labor 680 680 720 Unpaid family labor 383 42 170 Net income from investment 7 546 2 921 3 103 Investment per acre $238 $213 $311 Gross receipts per acre 38.48 32.78 33.85 Total expense per acre 18.61 13.72 15.04 Investment per acre in productive livestock $ 29.28 $ 17.75 $15.93 38.13 28.85 30.78 Return per $100 invested in productive livestock Number of men 3.0 1.7 1.75 Number of work horses 9.3 4.0 8.0 Tractor Yes Yes No Crop acres per man 73.9 55.6 64.0 Crop acres per horse 23.8 23.6 14.0 Yield of corn per acre, bushels 57.7 46.4 58.4 Yield of oats per acre, bushels 60.6 55.2 43.9 20.9 Yield of barley per acre, bushels 41.5 26.0 45.5 Average number of cows 6 15.5 15 Average number of brood sows 30 16 35 Average number of chickens 307 123 200 Average number of steers fed 115 25 206 BULLETIN No. 326 {.May, TABLE 37. ACRES PER FARM, ROOMS PER HOUSE, AND YEARS OPERATOR HAD FARMED, 412 FARMS IN ROCK ISLAND AND HENRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS, SEPTEMBER, 1928 Number of farms Average acreage Years operator farmed Average number of rooms in house Anywhere This farm Owners 099 acres 51 61 28 44 184 34 63 49 49 195 33 412 57.6 143.1 292.5 13.8 18.4 20.0 22.1 17.8 14.3 13.6 15.1 14.5 14.3 14.0 15.9 8.6 12.1 14.3 12.7 11.5 8.0 6.0 6.8 8.0 6.7 8.5 8.8 7.5 8.7 9.5 7.8 8.3 6.5 7.8 8.4 7.0 7.5 6.8 7.8 100-199 acres 200 acres and up Size unknown All owners 141.8 56.9 153.3 305.6 Tenants 0-99 acres 100-199 acres 200 acres and up All tenants 182.0 146.7 162.2 Farms of unknown tenure All farms TABLE 38. NUMBER OP AUTOMOBILES AND TRUCKS PER FARM, 412 FARMS IN ROCK ISLAND AND HENRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS, SEPTEMBER, 1928 Number of Records Number of automobiles Number of trucks 1 2 3 4 1 2 Owners 1 to 99 acres 51 61 28 44 184 34 63 49 49 195 33 412 2 2 'i 5 4 1 1 4 10 5 20 40 49 17 34 140 24 50 37 41 152 24 316 7 9 8 9 33 3 12 10 4 29 3 65 1 1 3 '5 2 'i '3 's 1 'i 1 'i i 3 38 38 15 28 119 29 43 36 41 149 29 297 12 23 13 14 62 5 20 12 8 45 3 110 1 '2 3 'i 'i i 5 100 to 199 acres 200 acres and up Size unknown All owners Tenants 0-99 acres 100-199 acres 200 acres and up Size unknown All tenants Farms of unknown tenure All farms STUDY OF RURAL-URBAN TRADE AREA 207 Tenure unknown ^t* iQ . G5 h CO O CO iO COCO- OOO* z Q ' ^* l- SO (N ^-l 00 00 *O h OSOO^O CO W *O 00 ^* W CO CD 1 I M 1 1. OO^^t^WC^ OMO^ ^OOCOC 1 ! O^OiW O^ CO C^O f. '~ \" ~-\ ^H^ CS OCO Oh*' N 03 m O5 as :- ^SS 85 SS 8g- OS S3 E-i N l a OO5 :2g:: ^SSS S--S S8 :: " EQUIPME PTEMBER, r2 2^ S af 11 rt S S 1 It 2SS-: SS8S SS-3 8S' 8S : SPECIFIEI INTIES, IL o 2 2 --~^1- s HAVING ENRY Coi I CS OO5 o g_ PH h O K 35 SSS . ESBS 8ft . SS SS CENTAG K 7 OS c a fO g S w . -.5 t; gO^u ... qj .. .fi I^IJ -d : :* | -^ : : l H C3 *o o> |la? sl^l 5 ^ -aJS S** S S ^"^".SS -So2 , on "3 >> .^ JJ.-S 2 c5 2- c^ M cr=aS s u .-. a .2 S^ja t" 73 a a g 2-SS S TSOts.g^ |il3l-l|5l |^^x^1g:S^ g^|fc -SSjfcgo feS|2 J^^^S ~l 3 II J5 s,aaTI< >o <*< eco trH OOcOC^C^COO OC^OO at co >n -! -< M N r- 8<-l^HOOOO n-ic OON -tOOXO 8 >COO^t*-O5 t^ 'CO t*COO o o OOtOCfKOt-Oi ""O>O IOCOO5 tC O O 'O d CD OONO TO CO "5 rl i-H CO N t- Q " . O -I OOi-lOOOO OCOU5N OOlCi t-NN O N >>> |)X!XI 3 C C . a II 1 :a S a y g a a B ry faciliti ne at hom chine run chine run machine nning wat in from eration d n n ai ctri it coi'So3-S'<5-3-g cS SQSS^PSP <^HZ SEW Soo UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA