Evening journal., 1909-10-18
SCOPE OF THE
FARM CENSUS
Uncle Sam Wants Graneers
TO Get Their Accounts in
Shape

WASHINGTON, d. c.. Oct. lS.-The
Thirteenth General Census OF tho United
States will be taken beginning April Is.
1910. About 65,0O0 enumerators will en-
gage then In the huge task Of counting
every man, woman and child IN the
country, and Of ascertaining for each
individual the color, sex. age. conjugal
condition, place OF birth, place Of birth
Of parents, number Of years in the
United States. citizenship, occupation,
whether or not employer OF employee,
and II employed, whether or not employ
cd at the date Of enumeration. ana the
number OF months employed during the
preceding calendar year.
All II this. and certain additional in
formation, IS a part Of the census Of
population, and must be ascertained for
everyone, regardless of occupation. In
addition, Congress has provided for the
collection Of detailed information re-
garding the three principal productive
industries OF the couury-agIiculture
manufacturers, and mines and quarries
These three great branches OF industry
represent so large a proportion Of the
total wealth OF the country that their
progress from decade TO decade is an
accurate index to the material develop
ment OF the country as a whole.
The Census OF 1900 showed that the
4 United States Is sim primariiy an ag
ricultural country. The total value o.
all farm property on June /. 1900, wa;
nearly twenty and one-half billions Of
dollars. a sum more than twice tina,
OF the aggregate capital invested in man.
ufactures. which was approximately nine
billion eight hundred million dollars.
Notwithstanding the value OF the CEN
sus OF population for the political pur-
pose OF reapportloning representation IN
Congress OF the United States, and the
value OF the statistics Of manufacturing
TO the vast iNterests Immediately con-
cerned. the census Of agriculture, Of all
the subjects covered by the census law.
is generally regarded as Of the great
est importance 10 the country.
The farm census is taken primarily for
the beneht Of the farmer, and upon the
accuracy Of the information given the
enumeratoy by the farmer next April
depends 10 large extent the value Of
the statistical work to be carried on IN
the farmers behalf during the nexe five
years. not only by the federal and state
departments OF agriculture but by stu
dents OF agricultural conditions in all
parts OF the world. To what extent the
very marked increase during recent
years in the cost Of living and espec-
tally in the cost of certain kinds OF farm
produce. is due to shortage In produc-
tion, IS a question of vital moment "a
a vast number of people. A complete
and accurate census of farm areas, pro.
ducts. ani values viii furnish data
which, studied in connection with the re.
vised population figures, should throw
much light on the great question Of oul
national food supply The farmer and
the urban consumer alike desire infor.
nation along these lines. II lies viii
the farmer to provide il.
BY preparing an accurate account Of
his farm operations during the year end
ling December 81, 1909. and by making
an inventory on April Is. 1910. Of all his
farm possessions, the farmers OF the
country can render the Census Bureau
and the public at large an inestimabiI
service. 1t IS not to be expected thai
farmers viii ever keep as complete ac
counts as do manufacturers and mer
chants.
Nevertheless. constantly increasing
number OF farmers arc keeping accurate
records OF their daily receipts and TX
lpenses and Of the exact quantities Of al
classes of products grown or raised or
their farms Wherever such records ar'
kept the census enumerators are aol'
to obtain highly accurate reports with
out taking more than few minutes o.
the farmers time and without troubling
him 10 mako dificult estimates.