Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-05-26
farm STATISTICS
| in new MEXICO
The Value Of Farm Property in 1900 in
New Mexico Is Seventeen Times as
Great as It Was in the
Year 1850.
the PAST TEN YEARS SHOW A REMARK
ABLE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FARMS

the Rocky and Sierra Mountain ranges
The territory slopes gently southwark
spreading into a bre..d, level, treeless
plain, apparently barren,
"The land produces variety of ma
tive grasses, the most common an6
valuable being the mesquite. This
grows during the rainy season in July
and August and ripens in the fall, dries
on it's stalk and furnishes a luxuriant
and nutritious forage. This cheap food
supply and the mildness of winter rem
der stock raising especially profitable
| "The number Of farms June 1, 1900,
was more than three times as great as
| that reported in 1850. 1t is probable
that the gain of 1853 farms or 1862 per
cent, between 1890 and 1900, exaggerates
the actual growth in that decade, ow-
ing to the fact that in 1890 many small
farms and ranges operated by natives
We're not enumerated. The statement
that the 11th census was defective in
this respect is confirmed by reference to
| the Farms and Homes volume Of that
census, which shows that in 1890 there
were 9,51S farm families in New Mexico,
or 5000 more than the number of farms
given in the report on agriculture for
the same year.
'"The total acreage of farm, land has
fuctuated greatly from decade to de-
cade and is now about eighteen times
as great as in 1850, and more than six
times as great as in 1890. The varia-
ton in the area of improved land have
been less marked, the increase since
1890 being 63, 767 acres, or 24.2 per cent.
AS this increase is much less than that
in the total farm area, the per cent of
farm land improved shows decided
decrease since 1890. This circumstance
together with the increase in the aver
age size of farms bears out the state
rnent that the raising of livestock, IS
rapidly increasing in importance, and
that, as a consequence, large additions
are being made to the area used for
grazing purposes. At the same time
the great reduction in the percentage
of improved land may be in some degree
due to a stricter Interpretation Of that
term by the 18th census.
The value of farm property in 1900
was nea ,N.S seventeen times as great as
in 1850, ana over three times as great as
In 1890. With the exception of the de-
cade from 1860 to 1870. Arizona being
created out of New Mexico in 1858, the
increase in the values of the different
forms of farm property have been con-
tinuous. The remarkable Increases IN
the last decade are due, in part, 10
more detailed enumeration in 1900 than
in 1890.
In 1880 and in 1890 domestic animals
on ranges We're not enumerated hence
the values shown in the table are DELI
cent for both these years. The value OF
animals on the range in 1890 has been
estimated at SIG, ,79S, ,666, which would
make the value Of all livestock on
farms and ranges s24,043,s46. Assuming
this value to be comparable with that
report In 1900. there has been an IN
crease in the last decade of over 30 per
cent.
The average size of farms, outside OF
the Indian reservations, ranges from
74.9 acres In Taos county to 2,9S6.5 acres
in Colfax county; the average value OF
farms from s5S205 in Taos county 10
AZ. .9O3.29 in Colfax county; the average
value of livestock per farm from
1897 SO in Santa Fe county to $l4,loS.IS
in Eddy county: and the average Value
of farm products of 1899 not fed to i've
stock from s34s.96 in Santa Fe county
to 81. .6s9. 81 in Chaves county.
Increases in the number, acreage, and
value Of farms have taken place IN al
counties except Valencia and Taos ana
certain others which have undergone
territorial reduction in the decade, but
all counties, regardless of such changes
show great increases in the total value
of livestock and farm products.
The number of farms operated by
owners was 1888 less in 1890 than in 1880
In the last decade, however, there was
an increase Of $500. making the num-
ber on June l. 1900, more than double
the number reported twenty years be-
fore.
This apparently large increase, how
ever. is due principally to much more
complete enumeration in 1900 than IN
1890 Of .eertain classes Of small farms
Cash tenants increased in NUMBER IN
both decades. The number OF snare
tenants decreased between 1SSo-lS9o
but Increased rapidly In the last ten
| years.
OF the farms Of the territory, SS.5 per
cent are operated by white farmers
and 11.5 per cent by colored farmers. of
tfie farms of white farmers. S5.l per
cent are operated by owners or part
owners. for farms Of colored farmers
practically all Of whom are Indians,
the corresponding per cent is 993
No previous census has reported the
number of farms operated by part
owners" "owners and tenants" or
managers" but 1t is believed that the
number conducted by the last named
class Is constantly increasing. ss
The average values and the per cent
Of gross income are very much lower
for colored than for white farmers. OF
(, the groups by tenure. farms operated
by managers, part owners. and cash
1 tenants have by far greatest average
acreage and the highest average value
Of property and products. This is due
to the fact that most Of the livestock