The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-10

Probably no portion of the work Of
the Census .,reau is of so much inter
est to the South as the Division of Agri-
culture" said Chief Powers. who is in
charge of this branch of the Bureau.
THE enumerators' sheets are not all
in as yet, but it is already known that
the returns will show that there are in
the country between FIVE and one-hali
and six million separate farms. Our en-
quiries regarding the conditions existing
on these properties include the tenure
live stock. and general equipment. The
enumerators' returns have been a little
complicated owing to the number and
Importance of the questions, and we have
been obliged to send out about $50 900
letters so far in order to get reliable
data to complete our schedules, but
when this information is all tabulated
it will furnish the country with some
very valuable facts
IAN 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. Those enquiries have de-
veloped no end of difficulties as it has
been found that negroes and ignorant
whites have apparently no idea OF their
own affairs Another phase of the situa-
ton is the difficulty of separating the par
tial tenures, which means farms operated
on shares. from those for which yearly
rent is paid
This is especially so in the South Some
of the large plantations in that section
have been divided up into hundreds of
plats of few acres each which are
worked by the blacks on shares. Among
these people the enumerators have expert
enced great difficulty in getting any ac-
curate information as to the value of the
land or products.
The census of 1880 and also Of 1890
went into this subject to some extent. but
neither showed whether the tenant was a
land owner, cash tenant. or worked On
shares. The present census will be the
first to collect these figures and tabulate
them in such a manner that they can be
used as data for future reference. In this
we are following the German farm sta
tries
Another very interesting exhibit win
be the figures on live stock. These sched-
ules are nearly complete, and | expect very
soon to be able to furnish the statistics
for the cities. In these schedules as in the
others. We have made no arbitrary decis-
ions, but have endeayored to get only ex-
act Information. One of the most interest
ing features Of this exhibit will be the
dairy figures. Every person who keeps
three OF more COWS and disposes OF the
milk, we have classified as a dairy owner.
THE live stock question in the West pre-
scented some difficulties. but We bellows
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 tomorrow. as they not
only travel on the hoof extensively but
are transported from one grazing ground
to another by the railroads In this way
the same bunch of cattle might be enum-
Grated by more than one of our agents.
We solved the question. however, by re-
questing the railroad companies to furnish
us the numbers OF cattle in transit on
certain date. and then checking up through
our special agents those on the hoof.
I'm addition to the above many
other valuable facts regarding the
economic and social position of
the cultiyators of the soil are
included In our enquiries-the production
OF crops, the use of fertilizer. the cost of
the operation in relation TO the value OF
the crop harvested. and the labor condi-
lions existing in various parts of the
country Our figures will also show the
amount of improved and unimproyed land,
and the number of mortgaged and IN
mortgaged farms.
Special attention will be paid to figures
and facts relating to the production of
the big crops. such as wheat corn. cotton.
rice, tobacco. and hay. in relation to the
cost. Generally speaking it will be the
aim of the bureau to compile these Stats
tics in such form as to be OF use to the
student OF economies. He will be able to
tell the number of farms, their value, the
value of their productions. the cost of
labor for working them in different sec
lions. and the comparative 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 bulletins
from time TO time on special subjects
The figures cannot fail TO be of great in
terest as they are really the first of their
kind. and the field is one which has been
much talked of, but on which there has
been no reliable data