The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-10-28
race stocks of the United States.

of the foreign born and with a higher
birth rate among the foreign born
than that of the old native stock
These are having a temporary effect
upon the actual rate of increase after
an elimination of these temporary
elements which serve only to misload
to extravagant computation of popu-
lation in distant years in the future.
population of this country, native
born of native parents, appears to be
approximately IL IL per cent during
decade, or / IA per cent yearly,
with tendency toward diminution in
the rate.
Growth in American Agriculture.
With the exception of the Census
Office, no branch of the Government
is better qualified to treat the subject
of agriculture than the department so
designated, Secretary Wilson, one of
the best informed men on agriculture
in the United States, is Thoroughly
familiar with all subjects pertaining
thereto, and delights in converse on
the rapid growth in this branch OF
American life The number of farms
has increased from 4,564,641 in 1890
to 100000 in $685. the total acreage
has increased from 623,000,000 in 1890
to over 1,OOO,O00,0O0 in 1908; the cap
ital of the farmers in the form of land
buildings, improvements, livestock,
implements and machinery is comput-
ed at $2S,OOO,0 100000, which repres-
ents an increase of rs or 80 per cent
over 1890.
The percentages of increase of crop
production an acre now have a new
significance. No one need fear that
the farmers of this country will ever
be unable to provide for its popula-
ton. They are already demonstrat-
ing in the cases of various crops and
of various States that they can pro-
vide for a population increasing fast
err than by increase due to excess OF
births over deaths. The wheat and
rye production of twelve countries of
Europe, representing substantially
the entire production outside of Rus
STA and Turkey, increased 15.2 per
cent from 1SS6-'9O to 19O1-'05 and the
population increased from 1888 to
1903 only 10 per cent.
| The capital invested in meat ami
mails and livestock farms and ranges
in the United States represents a to-
tai of almost $11, 900, 100000.
The schedules of inquiries relating
! to manufactures and to mines ano
uuarries must include the name ant
location of each establishment; char
acter of organization, whether indi
yidual. cooperative or other form
character of business or kind of goods
manufactured amount of capital actu
ally invested, number of proprietors
firm members, copartners, stockhold
ers and officers and the amount o
their salaries; number OF employees
and the amout of miscellaneous eX
penses, quantity and value of pro
ducts, time in operation during tn
census year, character and quantit,
of power used, and character ant
number of machines employed.
According to the census summar.
of manufactures for 1905, the numbe
of manufacturing establishments IL
New York was 81 1874; the capital IN
vested $2,O31 ,459,515; the averag
number of wage earners S56,947, witt
wages totaling $43O,014,S51; the cos
of materials used, $1.34S, 603,2S6, AM
the value of products, including Gus
toms work and repairing SASS 345,
$40.
The Tabulating Machines.
Census enumerating has, since 1877
been done by tabulating machines
because of the rapid increase in popu
lation, and proportiOnately increased
work. The first tabulating machin
was the Seaton, simple affair com
posed of parallel rollers, by whic'
blanks were unwound from roll
and six columns-one from each o
six different blanks or tables-wer
brought into close proximity thus at
fecting a saving in the time of tn
clerk. During the Eleventh Census
the electrical tabulation machine, al
invention of DR.. Herman Hollerith, o
Washington was introduced. BY Thu
system the facts entered upon the va
rious schedules are copied upon card
by punching holes. The position o
each hole indicates it's significance
no writing is required.
The cards when punched are tabr
lated by an ingenious machine pro
vided with pin box which contain
a needle set on fine spiral spring
for each possible hole in the card
The machine used in 1890 and 19O'
was operated by hand; the pin boz
was brought down over each card IL
turn; those needles, which met at al
unpunched surface were repressed
while those which passed through
hole made an electric contact below
and by an arrangement of relays per
hitting any desired combination
caused one or more counters or dials
to register. At the conclusion OF eacl