CODEBOOK AND USER'S MANUAL: A SURVEY OF 934 FARM PROPRIETORS IN MICHIGAN, 1894 REPORTED IN THE TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MICHIGAN BUREAU OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS Version 2.1 June 21, 1993 Susan B. Carter Roger L. Ransom Richard Sutch Hongcheng Zhao Historical Labor Statistics Project Institute of Business and Economic Research University of California Berkeley, California 94720 This codebook is a preliminary draft. The data described here and accompanying this version of the codebook is still in a preliminary format and may contain errors. Those wishing to use this data for research purposes should check with the authors for an update. Neither the collectors of the data or those sponsoring the data collection wish to bear responsibility for the use to which others may make of this data. The financial support of the National Science Foundation, the All-UC Group in Economic History, and of the Institute of Business and Economic Research and the Laboratory for Historical Research, both of the University of California, is appreciated. For further description of the Historical Labor Statistics Project, discussion of the social, economic, and political context in which the data were collected, and an assessment of data quality, see Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, and Richard Sutch, "The Historical Labor Statistics Project at the University of California," Historical Methods 24 (2) (Spring 1991): 52-65 and Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, and Richard Sutch, "Doing the Wright Thing: Carroll Wright and the State Labor Statistics Movement." Paper Presented at the Conference on Historical Labor Statistics, Lawrence, Kansas, June 1991. Suggested Citation: Susan B. Carter, Roger L. Ransom, Richard Sutch, and Hongcheng Zhao. Codebook and User's Manual: Survey of 934 Farm Proprietors in Michigan, 1894; Reported in the Twelfth Annual Report of the Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics. Berkeley: Institute of Business and Economic Research, 1993. A SURVEY OF 934 FARM PROPRIETORS IN MICHIGAN, 1894 A survey of proprietors of farms employing farm laborers was undertaken by the Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics in 1894 in conjunction with a survey of male and female farm laborers. [1] While the survey focused on wages and working conditions of hired help, farmers were also asked about their staple crops and, more generally, about the profitability of their farms. The survey was conducted by a combination of personal canvassing and mail questionnaires. A number of farmers were selected to be interviewed in each county so that the overall results might fairly represent conditions across the State. [2] The Bureau did not report the total number of farmers actually approached. It merely reports that "About one thousand schedules were received." [3] The Bureau is rather guarded in reporting its reaction to the survey response. On the one hand it reports that, It is proper to say that many farmers manifested much interest in the work, and in their remarks made valuable suggestions...[4] The Bureau also adds: [A]t the same time a large number failed to respond, or were very tardy in so going....In this respect it would seem that many, otherwise, progressive farmers are slow to take advantage of a line of work prosecuted in their behalf. [5] The Historical Labor Statistics Project has transformed these data into machine-readable form using the procedures and codes outlined in this Codebook. This Codebook describes the survey of 934 farmers. Table 1 lists the questions asked in the survey and the variable names assigned to each response. Tables 2 through 21 present descriptive statistics on the values and distributions of responses to the questions asked including, where necessary, the numeric codes used in entering the data into the computer. Since version 2.0, some of the variable names and variable codes have been changed. Users are reminded to be aware of these changes. The data from this sample of 934 farm proproetors in Michigan in 1894 has been archived at the Laboratory for Historical Research at the University of California, Riverside. For additional information regarding the availability of these data please contact: Professor Roger Ransom Department of History University of California Riverside, CA 92521 FAX [909] 787-5299 NOTES [1] Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics, Twelfth Annual Report, Year Ending February 1, 1895. Lansing, Michigan: Robert Smith & Co., State Printers and binders, 1895: 343. [2] Ibid. [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid. [5] Ibid. Table 1 Questions Asked of Respondents Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Name Description PAGE Page Number ID Case Number SUB_ID Case Number Assigned by the Michigan Bureau RES County of Residence YRSFARM How Long a Farmer? ACRE Number of Acres in your Farm? FEMEMP How Many Women do You Employ? FEMSCAR Is There a Scarcity of Female Help? WHYFEM If There is a Scarcity, in your Opinion What is the Cause? WGFEM What are the Average Wages Paid Female Help? MALEMP How Many Men do You Employ? MALSCAR Is There a Scarcity of Male Help? WHYMALE If a Scarcity, in Your Opinion What is the Cause? WGMALE What are the Average Wages Paid Male Help? BOARD Does this Include Board? IFEXTALL Is There any Extra Allowance? EXTALL What is the Value of such Extra Allowances Monthly? CITYWK Do Men from near Cities or Villages Apply to Your Farm for Work at any Time of the Year? OWNFARM Do any Men that You Employ Own Small Farms? OWNHM Do Married Farm Laborers Have Comfortable Homes? MORE Do Wages Provide Fair Support for Families? How Much is Your Average Yield per acre [of the Following Crops]: YWHEAT Wheat [bushels] YCORN Corn [bushels] YOAT Oats [bushels] YBAR Barley [bushels] YHAY Hay [tons] YPOT Potatoes [bushels] YBEAN Beans [bushels] YPEA Peas [bushels] YCLOV Cloverseed [bushels] YMINT Mint[pounds] What does It Cost You, Including Interest on the Value of Land, to Produce an Acre of [the Following Crops in Dollars]: CWHEAT Wheat CCORN Corn COAT Oats CBAR Barley CHAY Hay CPOT Potatoes CBEAN Beans CPEA Peas CCLOV Cloverseed CMINT Mint The Following Questions were also Asked. Responses were Coded YES [1], No [2] or NO RESPONSE [3]: FERT Do You Use Commercial Fertilizer? FERPAY If so, does It Pay? DAIRY Is There a Profit in Dairying? CHEESE Are You a Patron of a Cheese Factory? CREAM Are You a Patron of a Creamery? PROCAT Does [Fattening Cattle] Pay? HORSE Do You Raise Horses for Market? PROHOR Is There a Profit? SHEEP Do You Raise Fine or Coarse Wool Sheep? PROSHE At Present Prices, is There a Profit in Sheep Industry? WOOL Cost per Pound of Raising Wool? SHEDEC Will Present Price of Wool and Mutton Tend to Materially Decrease the Number of Sheep on Michigan Farms? WHYDEC In your Opinion, What Effect will Free Wool Have on the Sheep Industry of this Country? HOG Do You Raise Hogs for Market? PROHOG Is There a Profit in Fattening Hogs for Market? POUL Is There a Profit in Raising Poultry for Market? EGG [Is There a Profit in] Eggs FARMPRO What Branch of your Farm Industry is Most Profitable? INVEST Making a Fair Allowance for House Rent, Fuel, Family Support, Use of Horses and Buggies, and Everything You Receive from your Farm, in Addition to Products Sold, What Percent of Interest can You Get for Capital Invested in your Farm? OTHRPRO What other Business with Which You are Acquainted Pays Better Interest for Capital Invested than Farming? Table 2 County of Residence [RES] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Code Response Frequency 2 Allegan 16 3 Alpena 1 4 Antrim 4 5 Arenac 15 7 Bay 11 8 Benzie 3 9 Berrien 17 10 Branch 30 11 Calhoun 15 12 Cass 18 13 Charlevoix 2 14 Cheboygan 6 15 Clare 2 16 Clinton 36 17 Crawford 3 18 Eaton 13 19 Emmet 5 20 Genesee 28 21 Gladwin 3 22 Grand Traverse 6 23 Gratiot 25 24 Hillsdale 27 25 Alger 1 26 Baraga 2 28 Marquette 1 29 Menominee 2 30 Chippewa 5 31 Delta 5 32 Huron 44 33 Ingham 9 34 Ionia 35 35 Iosco 3 36 Isabella 10 37 Jackson 26 38 Kalamazoo 12 39 Kalkaska 3 40 Kent 16 41 Lapeer 17 42 Ogemaw 3 43 Osceola 9 44 Oscoda 8 45 Otsego 5 46 Ottawa 8 47 Roscommon 3 48 Saginaw 23 49 Sanilac 32 50 Shiawassee 21 51 Leelanau 5 52 Lenawee 30 53 Livingston 27 54 Macomb 9 55 Manistee 8 56 Mason 4 57 Mecosta 4 58 Midland 3 59 Missaukee 3 60 Monroe 15 61 Montcalm 18 62 Montmorency 4 63 Muskegon 5 64 Newaygo 6 65 Oakland 29 66 Oceana 32 67 St. Joseph 13 68 Tuscola 43 69 Van Buren 36 70 Washtenaw 26 71 Wayne 18 72 Wexford 6 Total 934 Table 3 How Long a Farmer? [YRSFARM] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Years or code Frequency -9(No response) 40 1 - 5 years 43 6 - 10 68 11 - 15 99 16 - 20 130 21 - 25 124 26 - 30 175 31 - 35 76 36 - 40 112 41 - 45 20 46 - 50 32 51 - 71 15 Total 934 Table 4 Number of Acres Farmed [ACRE] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Acres or code Frequency -9(no response) 25 1 - 50 acres 60 51 - 100 237 101 - 150 201 151 - 200 196 201 - 250 79 251 - 300 51 301 - 350 30 351 - 400 22 401 - 450 9 451 - 500 11 501 - 1,720 13 Total 934 Table 5 Number of Persons Employed on Farms, By Sex Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Frequency Number Females Males or code [FEMEMP] [MALEMP] -9(No response) 90 197 -8("None") 392 38 1 person 375 428 2 48 188 3 16 44 4 6 19 5 3 8 6 2 3 7 0 4 8 0 1 10 1 0 15 0 2 18 0 1 20 1 1 Total 934 934 Table 6 Scarcity or Surplus of Help, By Sex Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Frequency Code Response Females Males [FEMSCAR] [MALSCAR] -9 No response 81 48 1 Scarcity 658 249 2 Surplus 59 500 3 Neither 136 137 Total 934 934 Table 7 Reason for Scarcity of Female and Male Help Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Frequency Code Response Females Males [WHYFEM] [WHYMALE] -9 No response 427 644 1 Prefer other work 451 0 2 In winter only 17 169 3 Ill treatment 1 0 4 Scarcity in summer, surplus in winter 22 121 5 Incompetency 1 0 6 All the girls get married 15 0 Total 934 934 Table 8 Average Wages Paid for Female Help [WGFEM] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Wages or code Frequency -9(no response) 99 $1.00 - 1.25 18 1.26 - 1.50 133 1.51 - 1.75 66 1.76 - 2.00 496 2.01 - 2.25 21 2.26 - 2.50 64 2.51 - 2.75 4 2.76 - 3.00 21 3.01 - 4.50 12 Total 934 Table 9 Average Wages Paid for Male Help [WGMALE] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Wages or code Frequency -9(no response) 230 $2.00 - 10.00 5 10.01 - 12.50 10 12.51 - 15.00 110 15.01 - 17.50 134 17.51 - 20.00 236 20.01 - 22.50 117 22.51 - 25.00 72 25.01 - 27.50 8 27.51 - 30.00 6 30.01 - 36.00 6 Total 934 Table 10 Board Included in The Wages [BOARD] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 230 1 No 95 2 Yes 609 Total 934 Table11 Is There Any Other Extra Allowance? [IFEXTALL] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 381 1 No 354 2 Yes 199 Total 934 Table 12 The Value of Extra Monthly Allowance [EXTALL] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 759 $1.00 - 2.00 28 2.01 - 3.00 16 3.01 - 4.00 24 4.01 - 5.00 23 5.01 - 6.00 24 6.01 - 7.00 13 7.01 - 8.00 14 8.01 - 9.00 3 9.01 - 10.00 15 10.01 - 30.00 15 Total 934 Table 13 Response to Question About Farm Labors Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Code: -9 1 2 Question Response: No response No Yes Total Do men from near cities or villages apply to your farm for work? [CITYWK] 22 369 543 934 Do any men you employ own small farms? [OWNFARM] 49 587 298 934 Do married farm labors have comfortable homes? [OWNHM] 40 154 740 934 Do wages provide fair support for families? [MORE] 52 131 751 934 Table 14 Average Yield and Cost of Crops per Acre Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Crop Units Number Mean Min. Max. Yield per Acre: Wheat [YWHEAT] bu. 857 18.80 6.50 46.00 Corn [YCORN] bu. 848 57.30 5.00 200.00 Oats [YOAT] bu. 863 36.90 7.00 300.00 Barley [YBAR] bu. 172 26.79 7.00 50.00 Hay [YHAY] ton 879 1.48 0.50 3.25 Potatoes [YPOT] bu. 764 108.10 13.00 350.00 Beans [YBEAN] bu. 265 14.70 2.00 120.00 Peas [YPEA] bu. 200 21.70 2.00 50.00 Clover [YCLOV] bu. 200 2.11 0.12 8.00 Mint [YMINT] lbs. 13 18.30 7.00 40.00 Cost Per Acre [in dollars] Wheat [CWHEAT] bu. 738 9.81 1.00 30.00 Corn [CCORN] bu. 698 10.48 2.00 80.00 Oats [COAT] bu. 693 7.85 1.00 40.00 Barley [CBAR] bu. 168 7.85 2.00 15.00 Hay [CHAY] ton 699 5.26 1.00 30.00 Potatoes [CPOT] bu. 598 14.24 1.00 45.00 Beans [CBEAN] bu. 219 9.08 2.00 25.00 Peas [CPEA] bu. 168 8.68 1.00 80.00 Clover [CCLOV] bu. 215 4.99 1.00 30.00 Mint [CMINT] lb. 11 15.14 5.00 24.00 Table 15 Response to Questions about Farm Proprietors' Management Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Code: -9 1 2 Question Response: No response No Yes Total Do you use commercial fertilizer? [FERT] 34 752 148 934 If so, does it pay? [FERPAY] 767 41 126 934 Is there a profit in Dairying [DAIRY] 294 116 524 934 Are you a patron of a Cheese factory? [CHEESE] 65 796 73 934 Are you a patron of a creamery? [CREAM] 112 684 138 934 Does [fattening cattle] pay? [PROCAT] 320 271 343 934 Do you raise horses for market? [HORSE] 42 544 348 934 Is there a profit? [PROHOR] 472 315 147 934 Is there a profit in sheep industry? [PROSHE] 118 702 114 934 Will present price decrease the number of sheep? [SHEDEC] 90 46 798 934 Do you raise Hogs for market? [HOG] 11 179 744 934 Is there a profit in fattening hogs? [PROHOG] 102 71 761 934 Is there a profit in raising poultry? [POUL] 116 212 606 934 Is there a profit in eggs? [EGG] 91 93 750 934 Table 16 Do You Raise Fine or Coarse Wool Sheep? [SHEEP] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 19 1 Both 116 2 Coarse 235 3 Fine 286 4 Neither 276 5 Code temporarily unavailable 1 6 Code temporarily unavailable 1 Total 934 Table 17 Cost Per Pound of Raising Wool [WOOL] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Cost or code Frequency -9(no response) 406 $0.05 - 0.10 15 0.11 - 0.20 270 0.21 - 0.30 221 0.31 - 0.40 17 0.41 - 0.50 2 0.51 - 0.70 1 0.71 - 0.90 2 Total 934 Table 18 Effect of Free Wool on The Sheep Industry [WHYDEC] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 139 1 Free wool will decrease flocks 58 2 Free wool will ruin the sheep industry 623 3 Free wool will not injure the sheep industry 58 4 Free wool will have a good effect on the industry 51 5 Free wool will drive out the fine wool sheep 5 Total 934 Table 19 Most Profitable Branch of Farm Industry [FARMPRO] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 82 2 Apples 1 3 Barley 1 4 Beans 8 5 Beans, h 6 6 Beans, s 1 7 Bees 1 8 Berries 3 9 Butter 4 10 Butter, 1 11 Cattle 13 12 Cattle, 8 13 Chickens 1 14 Clover, 3 15 Cloverse 3 16 Corn 13 17 Corn hay 1 18 Corn oat 1 19 Corn, ba 1 20 Corn, fr 1 21 Corn, ha 4 22 Corn, ho 7 23 Corn, oa 11 24 Corn, pe 1 25 Corn, po 8 26 Corn, st 1 27 Corn,hay 1 28 Corn,oat 1 29 Cows 11 30 Cows, he 1 31 Cows, ho 4 32 Creamery 1 33 Dairy 72 34 Dairy, h 3 35 Dairy, p 4 36 Dairy,st 2 37 Eggs 5 38 Eggs, ho 3 39 Flax 8 40 Fruit 28 41 Fruit, c 2 42 Fruit, f 1 43 Fruit, h 2 44 Fruit, p 1 45 Fruit, v 2 46 Fruit,st 1 47 Garden 3 48 Garden s 1 49 Gardenin 1 50 Grain 2 51 Grapes 1 52 Hay 116 53 Hay bar 1 54 Hay, bea 2 55 Hay, cat 1 56 Hay, clo 2 57 Hay, cow 2 58 Hay, dai 5 59 Hay, egg 1 60 Hay, fru 3 61 Hay, gra 2 62 Hay, hog 23 63 Hay, pea 1 64 Hay, por 3 65 Hay, pot 27 66 Hay, pou 1 67 Hay, she 2 68 Hay, sto 5 69 Hens, ho 1 70 Hogs 99 71 Hogs, be 1 72 Hogs, co 7 73 Hogs, da 2 74 Hogs, ho 1 75 Hogs, po 3 76 Hogs, st 1 77 Horses 4 78 Horses, 2 79 Maple sy 1 80 Milk 7 81 Mint 8 82 Mint, on 1 83 None 8 84 Oats 14 85 Oats hay 1 86 Oats, ba 2 87 Oats, cl 2 88 Oats, da 1 89 Oats, ha 17 90 Oats, ho 1 91 Oats, pe 2 92 Oats, po 3 93 Oats,bar 1 94 Onions 3 95 Onions, 2 96 Pasture 1 97 Peaches 5 98 Peas 1 99 Pork 9 100 Pork, be 1 101 Pot, app 2 102 Pot, bar 1 103 Pot, bea 4 104 Pot, ber 1 105 Pot, but 1 106 Pot, cow 1 107 Pot, dai 3 108 Pot, egg 1 109 Pot, fru 4 110 Pot, hog 9 111 Pot, mil 1 112 Pot, oni 1 113 Pot, pea 4 114 Pot, rye 1 115 Pot, sto 3 116 Potatoes 66 117 Poultry 16 118 Road hor 1 119 Rye 1 120 Sheep 16 121 Sheep, h 2 122 Stock 23 123 Vegetabl 1 124 Wheat 12 125 Wheat, b 1 126 Wheat, c 1 127 Wheat, h 1 128 Wheat, o 1 Total 934 Table 20 Interest From Capital Investment in Farm [INVEST] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Percent or code Frequency -9(No response) 302 0.05 - 2.00 % 109 2.01 - 3.00 129 3.01 - 4.00 99 4.01 - 5.00 88 5.01 - 6.00 54 6.01 - 7.00 29 7.01 - 8.00 29 8.01 - 9.00 1 9.01 - 10.00 56 10.01 - 20.00 35 20.01 - 32.50 3 Total 934 Table 21 Other Business That Pays Better Interest [OTHPRO] Survey of 934 Michigan Farm Proprietors, 1894 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 427 2 Bank sto 4 3 Banking 72 4 Banking, 2 5 Bees 1 6 Blacksmi 3 7 Brokerag 1 8 Carpente 1 9 Cattle, 1 10 Com'l ag 1 11 Com'n me 1 12 Corpenta 1 13 Day labo 2 14 Day work 2 15 Discount 1 16 Drugs 5 17 Drygoods 1 18 Fruit 6 19 Garden, 1 20 Gardenin 2 21 General 2 22 Gov. off 2 23 Grocerie 3 24 Hardware 7 25 Holding 7 26 Hotel 1 27 Implnt a 1 28 Keeping 5 29 Laoning 1 30 Law 1 31 Law, med 1 32 Law, pol 1 33 Lightnin 1 34 Livery 1 35 Loaning 64 36 Loans 1 37 Lumber 1 38 Lumberin 38 39 Manufact 10 40 Mechan'l 1 41 Mercant, 1 42 Mercanti 18 43 Milling 9 44 Ministry 3 45 Mortgage 2 46 Music te 1 47 None 142 48 Oil 1 49 Peanut s 1 50 Peddling 1 51 Plasteri 1 52 Pol, min 1 53 Politica 3 54 Politics 3 55 Postmast 1 56 Produce 1 57 Produce 2 58 Protecte 1 59 Railroad 4 60 Raising 1 61 Real est 3 62 Refining 1 63 Renting 1 64 Retailin 2 65 Sailing 1 66 Salaried 7 67 Saw mill 1 68 Sell mac 1 69 Selling 17 70 Small fr 2 71 Speculat 3 72 Sugar tr 2 73 Teach & 1 74 Teaching 2 75 Tile,bri 1 76 Trading 1 77 U.S. bon 3 78 Work by 3 79 Working 1 Total 934