The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-09-10
FARM DATA
DESIRED
CENSUS DIRECTOR DURAND
URGES FARMERS TO
COOPERATE.
Agricultural Census Fuhy AS I'M
portant as that of Population
and Manufactures Kind OF
Information Desired By Census
Bureau.

Bureau.
Washington, D. c., September At
will he suggested by U. S. Census Di-
rector Durand to the farmers all over
the country that the work OF securing
accurate returns at the coming census
Of agriculture will be greatly facilitat-
ed if the farmers will keep or pro-
vide some sort of written record OF
their farm operations during the year
1909. This effort to secure the farm
ers' pers onal cooperation is put one
of a number of ways and means cnos-
on bv Director Durand in the effort TO
secure an accurate, eXpedltlous anu
economical census concerning popula'
ton. agriculture, manufactures, mines
and uuarries, which are the SUBJECTS
of inquiry defined in the census law.
Notwithstanding the value or the
population returns for the polltlcal pur-
pose of reapportioning representation
in the congress of the United States
and of the statistical information de-
rived from an analysis OF the popula-
ton details, the census OF agriculture,
of all the subjects in the census law,
is regarded as of the greatest import
ance.
The twelfth census reported total
fixed capital of $5,046, 939, $500 invest
ed in manufactures. The correspond
ing total for agriculture was $40 ,5l4,-
DOL $500, or more than four times
that of manufactures. A more con-
sentative estimate, based upon a diff
ferent standard of comparison, also
used by the Census Bureau, places the
investment in agriculture as more than
twice that of manufactures.
In 1900 the census found 5,739,657
farms, an increase of 1,175,O16 over
the total for 1890. The 1890 figures
were 555,73 higher than the number
of farms counted in the 1880 census.
Taking the increase between 1890 and
1900 and adding that number to the
total reported for 1900, an estimated
or approximate number of farms ex-
listing at the time of the thirteenth
census may be ascertained; the proc
ess of calculating being that called
"arithmetical progression" the meth
cd chosen by the majority of statis-
ticians and also used by the Census
Bureau.
Therefore the 1910 total should
reach 5,914,673, or roughly, about g.
100000 farms, which is the number es-
timated by Chief Stats tician Powers.
There were 10,433,18S males and fe-
males over 10 years of age June l.,
1900, engaged in agricultural pursuits.
Prof. Powers believes the 1910 census
will swell that number to the extent of
several millions.
The magnitude of these figures
makes it evident that the Importance
of the agricultural census hardly can
be overestimated Hence the solicit
tude of Census Director Durand and
Chief Statistician Powers, in charge of
the Census Division of Agriculture.
Director Durand believes that great
good will be accomplished by getting
into direct contact and cooperation
with the farmers. Some of the instru-
mentalities which will be used by him
and which promise practical results
are the State Commissioners and State
Boards of Agriculture, the State Agrf-
cultural Colleges, the Agricultural Elk
pertinent Stations, the Farmers Insti-
tutes, the Farmers Unions, the Pa
irons of Husbandry and the State
Oranges; in fact, all the existing or
CARNATIONS for the education and bet
terment of the farmers. Added to
these will be the daily newspapers, the
country press and the farmers publica.
tions
1t is estimated that millions of farm
ers will be reached at their homes or
at their mutual improvement MEETINGS
by the contemplated method of circu-
lating preparatory information.
Farm economists and scientists
learned in agricultural problems, ap-
pointed as expert special agents for
brief term, are now in Washington as
sisting Director Durand and his staff
in the formulation of the agricultural
schedule SO that the questions to be
asked by the enumerators shall be
easily comprehended and SO draw out
the information ordered by Congress
to be ascertained.
At the same time these practical
steps are being taken by the Census
Bureau, the farmers themselves will be
called upon to help push the statistical
pillow over the countrywide field of
farm data. They will be reminded
that an accurate and practical census
is the only one worth while.