The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-08-02
diminished, and the smaller the c1les
area the greater the diminution!
This is the fact to which I called at

area the greater the diminution!
This is the fact to which called at
tention in the fifth paper of this series
as showing the inaccuracy Of the asser-
tiOn that the average size of farms had
decreased in the United States during
the last decade. So conclusive is it,
and 50 obvious is it, that am forced to
suppose that the Superintendent Of the
tenth census has never even glanced
over the totals Of his own report. For,
although the number Of farms In 1880
and 1870 are merely placed in parallel
columns in the census report, without
subtraction, yet such differences as
1852 farms under three acres in 1880,
and 6,875 in 1870, and Of 2S,578 farms
over 1000 acres in 1880 against 8, 72O in
1870, are glaring enough to strike the
eye of any one who has been told that
the average size of farms has dimin-
ished, and to put him upon inquiry.
In order to show the striking re-
suits Of comparison in the number OF
farms in the eight specified classes, in
1880 and 1870, as reportrd by the Gen.
sus Bureau, l have taken the trouble
to do what the Census Bureau has not
done, and figure out the difference.
Changes during decade ending 1880
in the number of farms in the eight
specified classes, as reported by Census
Bureau.
Decrcasein Ratio Of De-
:, Glass. Number. crease.
Under acres....... 2s3 :! per cent
nI.-lo to 10 acrss....... 39,s5s ii per cent
N.-2o to 50 acres. 66,l4o per cent
Increase in Ratio OF In
Number. creasc.
W.-lW to 500 acres. l,l30929 400 per cent.
yI--50O to 1,e0o acres. GD.099 379 per cent
yIn.-Over LOCO acres..... 24,s5s 6ss per cent
This steady progression from de-
crease Of - per cent. in farms under
three acres up to an increase of 66a per
cent. in farms over 1.OOD acres is con-
elusive proof that the average size Of
farms could not have decreased from
153 to 134 acres. And the figures of
numerical decrease and increase are at
the same time disproof of Gen.
Walker upon the grounds he has
chosen. "Now, in fact, he says, "there
has been great increase, on the whole,
in the number Of farms bellows 153
acres than in the number above 153
acres, and consequently the average
size has been reduced" In fact, there
has been nothing of the kind. The
very reverse Of this is true.
The pivotal point, of l53 acres, falls in
Class VI, which includes farms between
100 and 500 acres. There il no way Of
deciding with certainty how many Of
these farms are between 100 and l53
acres, and how many between 153 and
500 acres, but inasmuch rs, in the all
sence of special reasons as to the con-
trary, there can be no doubt that the
average of the class must largely ex-
ceed 153 acres (which is very much
nearer the class minimum than the class
maximum, and, therefore, that taken as
n whole the entire class must count OH
the side If increase, We should reach
substantial accuracy III setting down the
whole increase in this class as over l53
acres. This would give:
Increase in number Of farms above 15a
Net increase in farms below is acres. issoss
| Exec SO in increase OF number Of farms
This would be substantially accurate,
but if greater formal exactness is re-
uuired, let us try to decide as best we
may what part Of the farm of between
100 and 500 acres should be counted as
under l53 acres.
Whoever knows anything of the
United States land system, and the
parceling of land i'll our newer States
and Territories where the greater part
Of this increase in the number of farms
has taken place, knows. that the farms
between 100 and 16O acres must lie
comparatively few. The reason Of this
is that the Government surveys divide
the land into sections and fractions of o
section, the practical unit being the
quarter section of 16O acres, which is
the amount open to pre-emption and
homestead entry. The land-grant
railroad companies sell their land in
the same way by the Government
surveys, and, III fact, nearly all
the transfers of farms in our new
States, long after the land has passed
into private hands, is by fractions of a
section, the quarter section being al
most universally regarded as the unit.
is generally divided into the eighth, or,
as it is commonly called, the half-quar-
ter section, which falls into the class
below the one we are considering.
There can be no doubt whatever that
the great majority of the newest farms
of the class between 100 and 500 acres
consist of quarter sections, two-quarter
sections and thrce-querter sections.
Considering all this, it is certain that
we shall be making liberal allowance
for the farms between 100 and 15l
acres If we estimate the farms above 151
acres at 1000, 900, and those below NJ
the odd number of 1909 This would
give:
Increase in farms above l53 acres l., si,.5i
Net increase In farms oc.ow 153 acres. 263.a .a6.
Excess In increase of farms above l53