The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-05-02
The Farm,
Farmers and the Eleventh Census.
MORTIMER WHITEHEAD.

On the principle of the field joke of
our boyhood, that more corn grows in
cooked than in straight rows, because
there are more Of them,' SO are farmers,
more than any other one class, most
interest in the eleventh national census
to be taken this year, "because there
are more of them" Every ten years
his taking account of Stock as the
merchant would say, is undertaken by
Uncle Sam, to see just where we stand
How many more farms? How many
more factories? How many more dol
lars? How many more people? Where
have we made progress? where gone
backward? All these points are OBJ
tanned by house to house and farm to
farm visitation by an army Of 10000
enumcrators, who will, in every corner
Of our great country, start out on the
second day Of June next and ask the
thousands of questions that must be
asked to get a fair count of the facts
and figures of all our varied industries.
AS we are just commencing our second
hundred years as republic, this be-
comes the eleventh census, and will be
doubly important and interesting in its
comparisons with that taken ten years
ago, and with the first, which was taken
one hundred years ago.
The census year began June LIST,
1889, and ends May 3lst, 1890. That
is, the statistics of crops, manufactures,
mining, etc., cover The products of The
twelve months named. The Superin-
tendent of the Census is Robert p
Porter. who was appointed early last
year. The law provides for the ap-
pointed early last year. The law pro-
vides for the appointment of Super
visors, one or more to each State and
Territory, according to its size and
population, the number of Supervisors
being limited to ITS. In the census Of
1880 there were lao Supervisors. The
Supervisors divide up their enumera-
ton. designate to the Superintendent
and with his consenD employ suitable
persons, residents of such subdivisions
for the purpose Of enumeration. Nc
subdivision assigned to any enumeratol
can exceed 1000 inhabitants. OF the
enumerators, the law says that prefer.
ence shall, in all cases, be given tc
properly qualified persons honorably
discharged from the military or nava
service of United States residing in
their respective districts So the old
soldiers have first chance in this case
and are once more sat the front"
The whole work of the census has
been broadened. and the inquiries will
bring out information never before OBJ
tanned in census year. The number
and amount of mortgages on farms and
homes will be collected, and, it is
thought. will be an important feature
in its bearing upon number OF eco
nomic questions. 1t is to be hoped that
farmers generally have needed the APP
peal Of Superintendent Porter, sent out
to them through the press year ago
in which he said ut is important to
the country that the returns in relation
to farm products and live stock should
be full and correct The enumerator
in the house,to, house visit he will make
during the month of June, 1890, is
constantly met with the fact that farm
ers keep no books, and hence returns
are not unfrequently guess work. The
census year begins June lst, 1889, and
ends May 3lst, 1890. If farmers
throughout the country would note this
fact, and keep account Of the products
of their farms during the census year,
it would be of mrterial aid in securing
reliable returns for the eleventh CEN
sus.'' This shows how farmers have
an opportunity to help themselves.
In no part of the census work have
the lines been extended more than in
the direction of Agriculture. The
Superintendent has arranged for more
extended inquiries into all its varied
branches, and in addition to the regular
schedule, which will be more complete
than ever before, he has ordered special
investigations in several important
branches, among which are Viticulture,
Nurseries, FLORISTS, Scotland Truck
Farms. Semi.Tropic Fruits, Liye Stock
on the great ranges, and in cities and
villages; also, the name and number OF
all the various farmers organizations,
such as Agricultural and Horticultural
Societies, Poultry and Bee Associations
Farmers Clubs, Oranges, Alliances