Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-10-05
~. Pal Condition of New England
Agriculture.


Some remarkable facts indicating
the sound prosperity Of farming ID our
Eastern States are revealed by Inc cen
ans ~, taken in June, 1890, the first pup
Ication of which appears as an eA
Sensitive article with the above title III
,be New England Homestead Tor sep
ta,nber %. 1t shows that one IN tour
Is he families in New England are en-
oaoed in agriculture. Out OF every loo
farms, the average for the six STATES
shows that 50 are cultivated by their
owners and only Is are rented OF
worked ON shares. In every 100 farms
thai are cultivated by owners, about
n are free Of debt and 70 only are
mortgaged. Thus three-quarters OF
our New England farms that are cui-
tiyated by their owners are owpea iree
Of all mortgage Indebtedness Of lieu on
real estate. ,no
These facts show that in every lOo
of all our New England farms, about
65 are owned free of encumbrance, ~
are owned but not wholly paid for and
u are rented. Vermont stands low
est ia this list, only - out oteyery i0O
Of her farms being free and clear, 81
mortgaged and Is rented. But IA thai
State, farming on shares is carried on
more extensively than elsewhere, which
accounts for the large proportion OF
rented farms. In Connecticut, %
farms 10 every 100 are owned free, 20
are owned but not paid for aud % are
rented. the figures in other States be-
ing: for Maine, y, 20 aud so New
Hampshire, 20, ~ and IL; Rhode
Island, 81, IA and 20.
In Massachusetts and Rhode Island,
onl, 4 per cent of the families follow
agriculture; in Connecticut, the pro-
portion is i6, while in Vermont aud
Maine il runs up to over 40 per cent.
and of New Hampshire's families, one
third. or nearly $4,000. live on farms.
The number OF farms ia New Eng
land is decreasing. During the decade
lust closed. over 900 Of our farms
have either been abandoned or absorb
ed into neighboring farms, decrease
for the six States of 5 per cent, ranging
from per cent in Maine to 10 in
Rhode Island. New York, also, has
Il. 900 fewer farms than 10 years ago
Ia decrease of6 per cent-while fig
ures are given for 10 Western States,
showing an increase Of 50 per cent in
the number OF their farms.
II will be easy to assume from this
fact that New England agriculture Is
running out, her farms growing up to
brush aud going into the hands OF teu-
auts. The Homestead points ont, how
ever. that the decrease ia the number
of New England farms l. natural re-
suit not to be deplored; for there are
still thousands OF farms cultivated
which it would be better economy to
convert into pasture or woodland, re.
stricting culture TO the smaller. more
fertile and more easily-worked lands
that will yield a larger prof..
Compared with the averages for 9TH
err groups OF States, The Homestead
finds that New England has far larg-
er proportion of her farms cultivated
by their owners she has proportion
ately only half as many tenant farm
ers, larger proportion Of her owned
farms are tree OF Indebtedness, and Of
this Indebtedness, larger per cent
was incurred TO purchase and improve
the farm than in other States.
Thus while only one in four Of our
New England families follow agricul-
ture aud live on farms. a. compared
with an average OF one in three in 9TH
er States, yet they are tar better oft IL
oue-tourth more, Ia proper
tiou, own their places tree OF debt
than IL the other States ne,ed those
who own with eucumbrances are one
fourth more. while, a. before noted,
the proportion of tenants in New Eng
land is only one-halt as large a IN
these other States.