Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-01-05
CENSUS AMONG FARMERS.
A Bulletin OF Instructions Nearly
Ready for Circulation.

A Bulletin OF Instructions Nearly
Ready for Circulation.
The Census Bureau has prepared
a circular which it will distribute
through all the agricultural districts
IN the country. The document is a
part of the educational scheme
adopted by the bureau for the pur-
pose of making all farmers familiar
with the character of information
the census enumerators will, under
the law, be entitled to receive. 1t
will read as follows:
"The first really valuable census of
agriculture in the United States was
taken in 1850, of the crops of IS49.
The next enumeration of agriculture
will be taken in June. 1900, of the
products of 1899.
each farm will be accorded
separate blank, the conten is of which
will not be known to any save sworn
officers of the department. No
names will be published in connec-
ton with information secured from
tbs people.
"Tax assessors, collectors, and
equalizers cannot serve as enumera-
tors, or have access to she census
returns, or to the information therein
contained.
ga farm is all the land cultivated
or held for agricultural purposes
under one management, whether in
single body or separate parcels.
"The enumerator will ask for the
size and value of each farm, the
value of buildings, and the aggre-
gate value of all machinery, impIe-
ments, vehicles, harnesses, etc., used
thereon; the color or race of the
occupant, and the amount of land
owned and leased, respectively, by
said occupant.
"He will also ask for the acreage
and value of each crop, and the
acreage of improved, unimproved,
and irrigated lands.
"rhe designation each CROP
includes all grains, cotton, corn, rice,
sugar cane, sugar beets, sorghum hay,
clover, wild grasses, gathered forage,
flax, hemp, hops, peanuts, tobacco.
seeds, nuts, tropical fruits, small
fruits, orchard fruits, nursery and
greenhouse stock, broom corn, Irish
potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams,
all vegetables, including the product
of all family, truck, and market
gardens, etc., also new or unusual
crops, when found.
"The enumerator will ask for the
number and value of the live stock
on the farm June L, 1900, which |
will be reported under number of
heads such as horses, colts, mules.
asses, COWS, heifers, steers, calves,
bulls, ewes, rams, lambs, swine, goats, |
chickens, (including guinea fowl,
turkeys, geese, ducks, bees, etc.
"rhe quantity and value of milk,
cream, butter, cheese, raisins, prunes, |
molasses, syrup, sugar, eggs, beeswax,
honey, wool, wine, cider, vinegar, |
dried and evaporated fruits, forest
products, poultry and meat products, !
and, generally, all articles made at
home, or for the home, from farm
during 1899 will be called
for by the enumerators.
"lf a person who removes from a |
farm between the end of the crop
year 1899 and June i, 1900, will
leave a written record of the pro-
ducts and crops of that farm for
1899 where it will reach the appro-
pirate enumerator, the statistics of
his operations for that year will not
be lost. He will be required to give
the enumerator of the district in
which he lives on June l, 1900, the
acreage, value, buildings, machinery,
implements, and live stock of the
farm he then occupies.
eff every farmer v ill begin at once
to prepare a careful record of ali
facts which the enumerator will be
instructed to record in June, 1900,
he will save time for himself and
the officer, and ensure more accurate
returns to the Government.
"The twentieth century will begin
on January 1, 1901. Therefore, the
pending census will afford to future
generations measure of the strength
and condition of the United States at
the threshold of the new hundred
year cycle. For that reason every
one should take an active interest
in making it as nearly perfect as
possible. If each farmer will make
his OWL report perfect, the aggre-
gated report for every community,
and for the nation will ha ,,arfaof ,,