The evening times., 1900-09-10
MILLIONS OF FARMS.
Interesting Statistics Being Gathered
by the Census Bureau


Probably no portion of the work of the
Census Bureau is of so much interest to
the South as the agriculture division, -
said Chief Statistician Powers, who is in
charge of this branch of the Bureau, yes
terday.
THE enumerators' sheets are not all iii
as yet, but it is already known that the
returns will show that there are in the
country between $500, ,00O and 5000 600
the conditions existing on these proper
ties include the tenure, live stock, and
general equipment. The enumerators' re-
turns have been a little complicated, ow-
ing to the number and Importance of the
questions, and we have been obliged to
send out about 600 letters so far in Or
der to get reliable data to complete our
schedules. But when this information is
all tabulated it will furnish the country
with some very valua BILE facts
An effort is being made in the present
census to get reliable data on the subject
of tenure of farms in general with a view
of showing to what extent the land of the
country is being held by landed proprie-
tors and whether or not farm tenancy is
likely TO become the established policy IN
this country. These enquiries have devel-
oped no end Of difficulties, as it has been
found that negroes and ignorant whites
have apparently no idea of their own af-
fairs. Another phase of the situation is
the difficulty of separating the partial
tenares, which means farms operated on
shares, from those for which yearly rent
is paid
This is especially so in the South Some
nf .,Ia IN, hot
have been divided up into hundreds of
plots of a few acres each which are
worked by the blacks on shares. Among
these people the enumerators have eYpeTi-
enced great difficulty in getting any ac-
curate information as TO the value Of the
land or products
Another very interesting exhibit VIII
be the figures on live stock. These
schedules are nearly complete, and l ex
pect very soon 10 be able to furnish the
statistics for the cities. In these sched-
ules, as in the others, We have made no
arbitrary decisions, but have endeav
oTed 10 get only exact information. One
OF the most interesting features Of this
exhibit will be the dairy figures Every
person who keeps three or more cows
and disposes of the milk we have elassi-
fed as a dairy.
The live stock question in the West
presented some difficulties but we be
lieye that they have been successfully
disposed of, For instance, you can see
that cattle on the range might be in one
State today and somewhere else tomor-
row, as they not only travel on the h0of
g Jensively, but are also transported
from one grazing ground 10 the other by
the railroads
In addigion to the above many other
valuable facts regarding the economic
and social position of the cultiyatoTs Of
the soil ara included in our enquiries.
Special attention will be paid TO fig
pres and facts relating TO the production
of the big crops, such as wheat, corn,
cotton, rice, tobacco, and hay IN reIa-
tion TO the cost Generally speaking. it
will be the aim of the bureau to com
pile shese statistics in such form as to
be OF use TO the student of economies
He viii be able 10 tell the number OF
farms. their value the value OF their
productions. the cost of labor for work
ing them in different sections and the
c0mDa ratiye incomes of the white and
black farmer
These figures will not be ready for
use for more than two years yet, but the
bureau Will probably get out bu.Ie ms
from time to time on special subjects