Chapters in Rural Progress

by Kenyon L. Butterfield

I. Characteristics of the Agricultural Industry.
Dependence upon nature.
Capital and labor as applied to agriculture.
The laws of rent and of decreasing returns in agriculture.
Relation of agriculture to other industries and to the welfare of mankind.
II. History of the Agricultural Industry.
In ancient times.
Status in Europe prior to the eighteenth century.
The struggle to maintain its standing after the advent of commerce and manufacture.
In the United States.
The pioneer stage.
Development of commercial agriculture.
The new farming.
III. Present Status of the Farming Industry.
The world's food supply.
Agricultural resources of the United States.
Geographical factors.
Soils, climate, fertility, natural enemies, etc.
Statistics of farms, farm wealth, production, etc.
Leading sub-industries, cereals, stock, etc.
Distribution of production.
IV. The Agricultural Market.
Description of the market—local, domestic, foreign.
Mechanism of the market.
Banks and local exchange facilities.
Middlemen.
Boards of trade.
Prices of agricultural products.
Movements of prices.
Agricultural competition.
Depressions of agriculture.
Influence of "options."
Transportation of agricultural products.
Primary transportation—wagon roads and trolley lines.
Railroad and water transportation.
Facilities.
Rates.
Discriminations.
Delivery methods.
Incidents of the transportation system—elevators, etc.
Imperfect distribution of agricultural products.
Development of the market.
Increase of consumption of products—manufacture of farm products as a factor.
The factor of choicer products.
The factor of better distribution of products.
The local market as a factor.
The foreign market as a factor.
V. Business Co-operation in Agriculture.
Historical sketch.
Present status.
Production.
Marketing.
Buying.
Miscellaneous business co-operation.
Difficulties and tendencies.
VI. Agriculture and Legislation.
Land laws and land policies of the United States.
Agriculture and the tariff.
Taxation and agriculture.
Food and dairy laws.
Government aid to agriculture.
VII. General Problems.
Agricultural labor.
Machinery and agriculture.
Interest rates, indebtedness, etc.
Tenant farming.
Large vs. small farming.
Business methods.
Immigration and agriculture.

OUTLINE FOR A BRIEF COURSE IN RURAL SOCIOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

1. Definitions.
2. Relation of the sociological to the economic, the technical, and the scientific phases of agriculture.

Part I

THE RURAL SOCIAL STATUS

Chapter I

Movements of the Farm Population

1. Statistical survey.
2. The movement to the West.
History, causes.
3. The movement to the cities.
a) Growth of cities.
b) Depletion of rural population in certain localities.
4. Causes of the movement to the cities.
a) Industrial, social, and psychological causes.
5. Results of the movements of the farm population.
a) Results both good and bad.
b) Résumé of industrial and social results.