CODEBOOK AND USER'S MANUAL: A SURVEY OF 693 FARMERS IN CONNECTICUT, 1888 REPORTED IN THE FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CONNECTICUT BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, 1888 Version 1.1 April 8, 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: A Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888; Reported in the Fourth Annual Report of the Connecticut Bureau of Labor Statistics. Berkeley: Institute of Business and Economic Research, 1993. A SURVEY OF 693 FARMERS IN CONNECTICUT, 1888 The survey of 693 farmers was conducted by the State's Bureau of Labor Statistics in 1888 and published in its Fourth Annual Report. [1] It was undertaken in conjunction with a survey of manufacturing establishments. The Bureau noted that the "marvelous growth of manufacturing industries during the last forty years," led to the "common impression" that agriculture was "retrograding." [2] The general impression prevails that farming in Connecticut will not pay. It has been repeatedly said that her farms were running down; that in order to make a living her young men were either forced to emigrate, or engage in other callings, and that the failure to make both ends meet after a hard year's work, was leaving an increasing incubus of debt to embarrass almost every farmer, and compel him to mortgage his estate. [3] In order to assess these claims the Bureau conducted an investigation into the profitability of farms in the State. Special agents visited and secured statistics from six hundred and ninety-three farms, selected from representative towns in each county. The investigation was conducted systematically. From three to five towns in each county were visited, and the farms selected were widely distributed over the towns. Farms were always selected where agriculture in some of its branches was the sole business pursued. Market gardens were not included. Detailed statistics of six hundred and ninety- three farms are given, classified by towns and counties. [4] The Bureau went on to add: Many of the statistics which have been gathered from these farms have been necessarily based on estimates; but care was exercised in every instance, in securing the reports, to thoroughly sift the information, and by careful comparison, to reach as near a truthful statement as possible. [5] Since the goal of the Bureau was to assess the relative profitability of farming, it knew it needed to develop income and expenditure estimates comparable to those used in manufacturing. It noted: There is a wide difference between the way in which the manufacturer or the merchant makes his balance sheet, and the way the farmer usually makes his. Few farmers keep systematic accounts, and, as a rule, they judge of the results of their business by the balance of gain or loss for the year after paying all the expenses which would properly be charged to the business of farming, together with the cost of family support, so that practically the question with him is, whether there is any thing left after paying for conducting the business of his farm, and paying his entire family and other expenses. The Bureau, in tabulating the farmer's reports, was obliged to conform to this custom. To make a fair comparison of the statement of the results of the farmer's business with at of the merchant or the manufacturer, the farmer should not include family support in farm expenses. [6] After calculating average profit rates in manufacturing and agriculture, the Bureau concluded that agriculture was the more profitable line of business. The average farm earned 9.16 percent on invested capital while the average manufacturer earned only 5.91 percent. The Bureau concluded: "There is no industry pursued in the State in which the exercise of intelligent and discriminating business ability will tell to better advantage than in agriculture." [7] The Historical Labor Statistics Project has transformed these data into machine-readable form using the procedures and codes outlined in this Codebook. Table 1 lists the questions asked in the survey and the variable names assigned to each response. Tables 2 through 36 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 1.0, only some variable names have been changed. Users are reminded to be aware of those changes. The data from this sample of 693 farmers in Connecticut in 1888 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 write to: Professor Roger Ransom Department of History University of California, Riverside Riverside, CA 92521 FAX [909] 787-5299 NOTES 1 The Connecticut Bureau of Labor Statistics, Fourth Annual Report 1888. Hartford, Conn.: Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company, 1889. 2 Ibid., p. 139. 3 Ibid., p. 140. 4 Ibid., p. 142. 5 Ibid., p. 145. 6 Ibid., p. 144. 7 Ibid., p. 145. Table 1 Questions Asked of Respondents Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Name Description PAGE Page on Which the Survey Results Begin ID Case Number RES County where the Respondent Resided TOWN Town where the Respondent Resided CULTIV Number of Acres under Cultivation in Farm PASTURE Number of Acres of Pasture and Woodland in Farm ACRE Total Number of Acres in Farm MALEMP Number of Males in Family Employed on Farm FEMEMP Number of Females in Family Employed on Farm FAMSIZE Total Number in Family MALHLP Number of Hired Male Helpers FEMHLP Number of Hired Female Helpers MALHLPWK Number of Weeks for Male Helpers to be Employed FEMHLPWK Number of Weeks for Female Helpers to be Employed MALBDWG Weekly Wages for Male Helpers with Board MALWOWG Weekly Wages for Male Helpers without Board FEMBDWG Weekly Wages for Female Helpers with Board NCOWS Number of Cows Kept IFSAV Is There any Interest-bearing Savings? MORT Amount of Mortgage MORTINTR Rate of Mortgage Interest ESTATE Value of Real Estate LIVESTK Value of Live Stock UTENSILS Value of Farming Utensils WAGON Value of Carriages and Wagons CAPITAL Total Value of Capital INCFARM Income from Farm Products Sold or Consumed INCSTK Income from Live Stock INCDAIRY Income from Dairy INCPOUL Income from Poultry OTHINC Income from other Sources TOTEAR Total Income EXPFERT Expenses on Grain and Fertilizers EXPTOOL Expenses on Repairing Buildings and Tools EXPINT Expenses on Interest EXPINSUR Expenses on Insurance and Taxes EXPMALWG Expenses on Wages of the Hired Male Helpers EXPFEMWG Expenses on Wages of the Hired Female Helpers EXPBOARD Expenses on Board for the Hired Helpers CONSUM Farm Products Consumed for Family Support EXPENDED Money Expended for Family Support TOTEXP Total Expenses SURPLUS Receipts over Expenses DEFICIT Expenses over Receipts Table 2 County where the Respondent Resided [RES] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Code Response Frequency 1 Fairfield 83 2 Hartford 126 3 Litchfield 87 4 Middlesex 75 5 New Haven 84 6 New London 75 7 Tolland 88 8 Windham 75 Total 693 Table 3 Birth of Place [POB] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Code Response Frequency 1 Bloomfield 34 2 Brookfield 22 3 Canterbury 26 4 Cromwell 23 5 Durham 29 6 Ellington 32 7 Farminton 32 8 Glastonbury 38 9 Goshen 12 10 Granby 22 11 Griswold 16 12 Groton 14 13 Guilford 29 14 Hebron 16 15 Ledyard 15 16 Mansfield 40 17 Milford 16 18 New Canaan 22 19 New Milford 30 20 Pomfret 24 21 Redding 25 22 Salem 14 23 Sharon 22 24 Southbury 24 25 Stratford 14 26 Waterford 16 27 Westbrook 23 28 Wolcott 15 29 Woodbury 23 30 Woodstock 25 Total 693 Table 4 Number of Acres under Cultivation in Farm [CULTIV] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Acres or code Frequency -9(No response) 1 1.00 - 10.00 acres 94 10.01 - 20.00 140 20.01 - 30.00 158 30.01 - 40.00 91 40.01 - 50.00 81 50.01 - 60.00 39 60.01 - 70.00 20 70.01 - 80.00 24 80.01 - 90.00 5 90.01 - 100.00 17 100.01 - 600.00 23 Total 693 Table 5 Number of Acres of Pasture and Woodland in Farm [PASTURE] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Acres or code Frequency -9(No response) 14 1.00 - 20.00 acres 141 20.01 - 40.00 137 40.01 - 60.00 115 60.01 - 80.00 74 80.01 - 100.00 77 100.01 - 120.00 31 120.01 - 140.00 26 140.01 - 160.00 22 160.01 - 180.00 13 180.01 - 200.00 6 200.01 - 880.00 37 Total 693 Table 6 Total Number of Acres in Farm [ACRE] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Acres Frequency 1.00 - 20.00 acres 59 20.01 - 40.00 93 40.01 - 60.00 99 60.01 - 80.00 87 80.01 - 100.00 92 100.01 - 120.00 44 120.01 - 140.00 46 140.01 - 160.00 51 160.01 - 180.00 23 180.01 - 200.00 28 200.01 - 1,000.00 71 Total 693 Table 7 Number of Family Members Employed on Farm Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Frequency Number Males Female or code [MALEMP] [FEMEMP] -9(No response) 6 38 1 person 451 528 2 201 110 3 24 11 4 8 3 5 2 0 Total 693 693 Table 8 Total Number in Family [FAMSIZE] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Number Frequency 1 person 38 2 164 3 163 4 119 5 86 6 61 7 29 8 18 9 9 10 or over 6 Total 693 Table 9 Number of Hired Helpers Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Frequency Number Males Female or code [MALHLP] [FEMHLP] -9(No response) 254 622 1 person 329 68 2 87 3 3 17 0 4 or over 6 0 Total 693 693 Table 10 Number of Weeks for Helpers to be Employed Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Frequency Weeks Males Female or code [MALHLPWK] [FEMHLPWK] -9(No response) 254 622 3.00 - 10.00 weeks 81 1 10.01 - 20.00 45 1 20.01 - 30.00 55 3 30.01 - 40.00 43 4 40.01 - 50.00 123 50 50.01 - 60.00 20 9 60.01 - 70.00 10 1 70.01 - 80.00 10 0 80.01 - 90.00 9 0 90.01 - 100.00 24 2 100.01 - 400.00 19 0 Total 693 693 Table 11 Weekly Wages for Helpers with Board Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Frequency Wages Males Female or code [MALBDWG] [FEMBDWG] -9(No response) 355 622 $0.80 - 1.00 5 0 1.01 - 2.00 26 31 2.01 - 3.00 43 32 3.01 - 4.00 87 6 4.01 - 5.00 83 2 5.01 - 6.00 70 0 6.01 - 7.00 12 0 7.01 - 8.00 5 0 8.01 - 9.00 7 0 Total 693 693 Table 12 Weekly Wages for Male Helpers without Board [MALWOWG] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Wages or code Frequency -9(No response) 586 $4.50 - 5.00 6 5.01 - 6.00 35 6.01 - 7.00 5 7.01 - 8.00 13 8.01 - 9.00 37 9.01 - 10.00 10 10.01 - 12.00 1 Total 693 Table 13 Number of Cows Kept [NCOWS] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Number or code Frequency -9(No response) 31 1 - 2 cows 141 3 - 4 160 5 - 6 135 7 - 8 55 9 - 10 42 11 - 12 42 13 - 14 26 15 - 16 21 17 - 18 11 19 - 20 6 21 - 90 23 Total 693 Table 14 Is There any Interest-bearing Savings? [IFSAV] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Code Response Frequency -9 No response 390 2 Yes 303 Total 693 Table 15 Amount of Mortgage [MORT] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 451 $100.00 - 500.00 55 500.01 - 1,000.00 70 1,000.01 - 1,500.00 44 1,500.01 - 2,000.00 27 2,000.01 - 2,500.00 11 2,500.01 - 3,000.00 18 3,000.01 - 10,000.00 17 Total 693 Table 16 Rate of Mortgage Interest [MORTINTR] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Percent or code Frequency -9(No response) 451 3.50% 1 5.00 80 6.00 161 Total 693 Table 17 Value of Real Estate [ESTATE] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value Frequency $500.00 - 1,000.00 31 1,000.01 - 2,000.00 117 2,000.01 - 3,000.00 133 3,000.01 - 4,000.00 116 4,000.01 - 5,000.00 91 5,000.01 - 6,000.00 68 6,000.01 - 7,000.00 33 7,000.01 - 8,000.00 45 8,000.01 - 9,000.00 10 9,000.01 - 10,000.00 19 10,000.01 - 25,000.00 30 Total 693 Table 18 Value of Live Stock [LIVESTK] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 5 $15.00 - 200.00 124 200.01 - 400.00 136 400.01 - 600.00 161 600.01 - 800.00 97 800.01 - 1,000.00 63 1,000.01 - 1,200.00 31 1,200.01 - 1,400.00 26 1,400.01 - 1,600.00 17 1,600.01 - 1,800.00 11 1,800.01 - 2,000.00 10 2,000.01 - 10,600.00 12 Total 693 Table 19 Value of Farming Utensils [UTENSILS] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 19 $2.00 - 20.00 141 20.01 - 40.00 99 40.01 - 60.00 113 60.01 - 80.00 72 80.01 - 100.00 132 100.01 - 120.00 3 120.01 - 140.00 12 140.01 - 160.00 41 160.01 - 180.00 3 180.01 - 200.00 33 200.01 - 1,500.00 25 Total 693 Table 20 Value of Carriages and Wagons [WAGON] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 24 $10.00 - 50.00 129 50.01 - 100.00 222 100.01 - 150.00 105 150.01 - 200.00 110 200.01 - 250.00 22 250.01 - 300.00 37 300.01 - 350.00 6 350.01 - 400.00 21 400.01 - 1,000.00 17 Total 693 Table 21 Total Value of Capital [CAPITAL] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value Frequency $525.00 - 1,000.00 12 1,000.01 - 2,000.00 63 2,000.01 - 3,000.00 114 3,000.01 - 4,000.00 101 4,000.01 - 5,000.00 91 5,000.01 - 6,000.00 78 6,000.01 - 7,000.00 61 7,000.01 - 8,000.00 45 8,000.01 - 9,000.00 36 9,000.01 - 10,000.00 33 10,000.01 - 11,000.00 11 11,000.01 - 12,000.00 13 12,000.01 - 33,200.00 35 Total 693 Table 22 Income from Farm Products Sold or Consumed [INCFARM] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value Frequency $40.00 - 100.00 30 100.01 - 200.00 141 200.01 - 300.00 142 300.01 - 400.00 110 400.01 - 500.00 76 500.01 - 600.00 54 600.01 - 700.00 35 700.01 - 800.00 18 800.01 - 900.00 12 900.01 - 1,000.00 12 1,000.01 - 5,200.00 63 Total 693 Table 23 Income from Live Stock [LIVESTK] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 94 $2.00 - 25.00 119 25.01 - 50.00 125 50.01 - 75.00 56 75.01 - 100.00 61 100.01 - 125.00 29 125.01 - 150.00 34 150.01 - 175.00 21 175.01 - 200.00 32 200.01 - 225.00 22 225.01 - 250.00 19 250.01 - 275.00 6 275.01 - 300.00 18 300.01 - 3,000.00 57 Total 693 Table 24 Income from Dairy [INCDAIRY] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 94 $5.00 - 50.00 135 50.01 - 100.00 102 100.01 - 150.00 68 150.01 - 200.00 53 200.01 - 250.00 36 250.01 - 300.00 38 300.01 - 350.00 17 350.01 - 400.00 25 400.01 - 450.00 4 450.01 - 500.00 17 500.01 - 5,000.00 104 Total 693 Table 25 Income from Poultry [INCPOUL] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 64 $10.00 - 25.00 102 25.01 - 50.00 188 50.01 - 75.00 91 75.01 - 100.00 119 100.01 - 125.00 39 125.01 - 150.00 32 150.01 - 175.00 12 175.01 - 200.00 25 200.01 - 225.00 6 225.01 - 250.00 3 250.01 - 500.00 12 Total 693 Table 26 Income from other Sources [OTHINC] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 575 $10.00 - 100.00 39 100.01 - 200.00 21 200.01 - 300.00 18 300.01 - 400.00 11 400.01 - 500.00 6 500.01 - 600.00 2 600.01 - 700.00 5 700.01 - 800.00 3 800.01 - 2,776.00 13 Total 693 Table 27 Total Income [TOTEAR] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value Frequency $150.00 - 250.00 44 250.01 - 500.00 134 500.01 - 750.00 156 750.01 - 1,000.00 123 1,000.01 - 1,250.00 70 1,250.01 - 1,500.00 47 1,500.01 - 1,750.00 27 1,750.01 - 2,000.00 22 2,000.01 - 2,250.00 18 2,250.01 - 2,500.00 14 2,500.01 - 10,900.00 38 Total 693 Table 28 Expenses on Grain and Fertilizers [EXPFERT] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 33 $2.00 - 25.00 107 25.01 - 50.00 108 50.01 - 75.00 83 75.01 - 100.00 73 100.01 - 125.00 45 125.01 - 150.00 50 150.01 - 175.00 30 175.01 - 200.00 30 200.01 - 225.00 18 225.01 - 250.00 17 250.01 - 275.00 10 275.01 - 300.00 21 300.01 - 1,500.00 68 Total 693 Table 29 Other Expenses Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Frequency Value Repairing Interest Insurance or code [EXPTOOL] [EXPINT] [EXPINSUR] -9(No response) 6 452 2 $1.00 - 10.00 26 6 40 10.01 - 20.00 55 19 101 20.01 - 30.00 78 34 122 30.01 - 40.00 89 14 90 40.01 - 50.00 112 31 85 50.01 - 60.00 63 26 67 60.01 - 70.00 44 12 47 70.01 - 80.00 59 12 34 80.01 - 90.00 23 17 31 90.01 - 100.00 41 14 15 100.01 - 1,525.00 97 56 59 Total 693 693 693 Table 30 Expenses on Wages of the Hired Male Helpers [EXPMALWG] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 162 $5.00 - 25.00 59 25.01 - 50.00 98 50.01 - 75.00 34 75.01 - 100.00 61 100.01 - 125.00 22 125.01 - 150.00 48 150.01 - 175.00 14 175.01 - 200.00 58 200.01 - 225.00 14 225.01 - 250.00 21 250.01 - 275.00 6 275.01 - 300.00 20 300.01 - 4,000.00 76 Total 693 Table 31 Expenses on Wages of the Hired Female Helpers [EXPFEMWG] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 621 $48.00 - 50.00 4 50.01 - 100.00 32 100.01 - 150.00 23 150.01 - 200.00 11 200.01 - 400.00 2 Total 693 Table 32 Expenses on Board for the Hired Helpers [EXPBOARD] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 320 $5.00 - 25.00 52 25.01 - 50.00 33 50.01 - 75.00 40 75.01 - 100.00 55 100.01 - 125.00 81 125.01 - 150.00 26 150.01 - 175.00 3 175.01 - 200.00 21 200.01 - 225.00 5 225.01 - 250.00 23 250.01 - 275.00 2 275.01 - 300.00 12 300.01 - 1,200.00 20 Total 693 Table 33 Farm Products Consumed for Family Support [CONSUM] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 2 $20.00 - 50.00 38 50.01 - 100.00 175 100.01 - 150.00 150 150.01 - 200.00 145 200.01 - 250.00 73 250.01 - 300.00 60 300.01 - 350.00 20 350.01 - 400.00 18 400.01 - 2,000.00 12 Total 693 Table 34 Money Expended for Family Support [EXPENDED] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency -9(No response) 1 $40.00 - 100.00 64 100.01 - 200.00 215 200.01 - 300.00 175 300.01 - 400.00 111 400.01 - 500.00 63 500.01 - 600.00 31 600.01 - 700.00 11 700.01 - 800.00 9 800.01 - 1,750.00 13 Total 693 Table 35 Total Expenses [TOTEXP] Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Value or code Frequency $137.00 - 200.00 9 200.01 - 400.00 72 400.01 - 600.00 130 600.01 - 800.00 115 800.01 - 1,000.00 115 1,000.01 - 1,200.00 76 1,200.01 - 1,400.00 47 1,400.01 - 1,600.00 41 1,600.01 - 1,800.00 22 1,800.01 - 2,000.00 17 2,000.01 - 8,496.00 49 Total 693 Table 36 Difference Between Receipts and Expenses Survey of 693 Farmers in Connecticut, 1888 Frequency Value Surplus Deficit or code [SURPLUS] [DEFICIT] -9(No response) 379 315 $1.00 - 100.00 82 130 100.01 - 200.00 72 85 200.01 - 300.00 48 58 300.01 - 400.00 26 41 400.01 - 500.00 14 14 500.01 - 600.00 14 14 600.01 - 700.00 12 13 700.01 - 800.00 9 7 800.01 - 900.00 5 6 900.01 - 1,000.00 6 0 1,000.01 - 4,375.00 26 10 Total 693 693