The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-11-04
Decrease in Number Of Farms.

The total number of farms dropped,
during the decade, from 22S,622, TO
216,SO7, a decrease of IL 1,S15, or trifie
over 5 per cent This falling of in
the number of farms is one that has
been anticipated by all students of
agricultural conditions in Iowa, and is
believed to correspond quite closely
with an anticipated decrease in the
rural population of .he state
The number of farms operated by
white farmers decreased from 22S, 1895
to 216, SOB, the amount being 11,7S2, or
so per cent; while the diminution in
the number of colored farmers was
from 227 to 2O4.
The number of farms cultivated by
their owners fell from 116,1SS to 1885,
69S, a decrease of 10,490, or 8 per cent.
Those cultivated by part owners de-
creased from 2S,9SS to 26,531, the diff
ference being 2,457, or S.5 per cent;
while those reported as being culti-
vated by a partnership of owners and
tenants decreased from 2,129 to 621, a
loss of 1903, or 7O.S per cent.
The farms operated by tenants in
creased from 1876 to S2,O39, a gain
OF 2,3O3, or 2.9 per cent. There was
also an increase amounting to 21.3 per
cent in the number of farms operated
by hired managers. In 1900 there
were 1851 such farms, while in 1910
the number is 1878.
The farm acreage reported in 1910
is 1890 900, as compared with 34,574,-
600 in 1900, a decrease of $4,000 acres
or 19 per cent. This decrease, in the
opinion of the census bureau, probably
represents a less perfect enumeration
of land in the several townships owned
by people residing in other townships,
due to the change in the census date
from June / to April 15 Much of this
land is in pastures and meadows, and
intended for lease, but, at the date of
enumeration in April, it had not been
leased for 1910 and was therefore un-
occupied and unreported.
The improved acreage of farms also
decreased, but in smaller proportions
than the total acreage. The improved
land reported in 1910 numbered 20
467 900 acres, while in 1900 the acre
age reported was $4,000; the de,
crease amounting to Ia per cent.
The expenditure for. fertilizers in
Iowa has never been very large, and
was smaller in 1910 than at the cen
sus of 1900, decreasing from 1897 ,000
in 1900 to 100000 in 1910, a drop OF
682 per cent The census in 1910 Sc
cured information for the first time re,
lating to the amount expended by the
farmers for the purchase of feed for
live stock this was $1S,575OOO.
/ OF the 216,SO7 farms in Iowa, there
were 108,034 or nearly sone.half, on
which all the work of cultivating them
was performed by their owners; while
the number reporting the expenditures
for labor, as stated above was 1887
The majority of the farms purchased
no feed for live stock; the number
that made such purchases was 81, ,26S
and the number that expended money
for fertilizers only 1.746.
The land reported in farms consti
tutes 94.7 per cent of the area record
ed by the government surveyors OF
the state. The variation between the
surveyors area and the land reported
in farms is quite uniform for nearly
all the counties; the farm land re
ported being in most counties between
2 and per cent less than the sur
veyed area The counties showing 6
greater variation have considerable
areas of wet or hilly land.