The Theory of Correlation as Applied to Farm-Survey Data on Fattening Baby Beef

Report Introduction: This paper sets forth the results of an experiment in applying the theory of correlation, hitherto used chiefly in the analysis of biological, sociological, psychological, and meteorological statistics, to the study of some of the data of the Office of Farm Management. The material for the investigation was obtained from 67 records taken during the years 1914 and 1915 from farmers of the corn belt who were fattening baby beef for market. The factors considered were: The profit or loss per head, the weight, value per hundredweight, value of feed consumed per head, cost at weaning time, and date of sale (see Table I). Coefficients of correlation were computed for every pair of these factors and used as a measure of the relationship existing between them.