Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-11-26

/ Of crops cannot be relied upon as ndl-
cative of the exact growth OF our agrl-
cultural empire for the reason that each
census represents but one year. For in
stance, the census of 1910 shows the crops
Of the year in which the census enumer-
ator collected the material and that
only. If it be fat year the figures will
be very large, but. on the other hand
| IL lean one, they may be considerably
smaller. The census of 1900 might have re-
corded year which had bumper crops,
and that of 1910 one when famine was
abroad in the land. Nevertheless, such
figures are approximately correct.
As to the number of farms, these are
not affected by such changes. The cen
sus shows that we had in 1900 something
like 100000 farms. and that just taken
shows that we now have 100000 more.
We have altogether, over 100000, and
the increase is little more than 10 per
cent. The figures also show that the
size of the farms is decreasing. The
average holding OF 1900 was 146 acres.
whereas the average farm of today con-
tains only 1873 acres. This Is affected
somewhat by the market gardens about
the cities, where the holdings are very
small. They are increasing in number
and they cut down the average size Of
the farm
Use More Machines.
| Notwithstanding the rush to the cities
and the difficulty of getting farm labor
the crops are as great or greater than
ever before, and they are bringing more
money The increase in the quantity Of
of the labor, comes from the greater
use of farm machinery This is increas-
ing enormously. Slxty-eight per cent
more farm tools were employed in 1910
than in 1900 and that Notwithstanding
the increase In the number OF farms was
only 10 per cent. The value of the adj
ditional machinery was more than $780,
OoO,OOO. The money invested in such ma
chimes has jumped from sos. 100000 to
200 10000 within the last decade
Increase in Farm Values.
The census shows that the value Of
the farms per acre has greatly increased,
and this, strange to say is largely the
case in those states from where there
has been most emigration 10 the city. 1t
is SO in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa,
in the farm population.
As to the increase in the value per
acre OF land the United States over, that
has more than doubled within the last
ten years. 1t has been over los per cent
meaning jump from SIS TO $50 per
acre The values In many parts OF the
country have been much In excess OF the
present income producing power, which
looks as though the farmers were capt.
talizing their possibilities of the future
Farming is also more popular now than
ever before. and many men are going
into it with the idea Of making it a
profitable bushes.
Farm Mortgages.
Only few years ago it was said that
the United States was blanketed with
farm mortgages ] talked with the de
rector OF the census as TO this matter.
He says that many of the farms are stil
mortgaged. but that the present mort
cages 10 a large extent represent i'm
provements or the purchase Of more land.
whereas in the past they represented the
debts incurred in going into farming and
to some extent in carrying on the busl-
ness, which was then not so profitable.
/ The mortgages as now recorded by the
census deal only with farms operated by
the owners In 1910 there were in the
neighborhood OF 10000 such farms
and more than two-thirds Of them We're
! free from debt / doubt whether any
other business In the United States VIII
/ show better condition.
| Moreover, the prosperity OF the farmer
| is evidenced by the increased use of ma
chincry, and by the rise in the value OF
the buildings and other improvements.
Within the last ten years more than
/ 81, 100 O00GOO worth OF new buildings
have been erected. IN other words.
/ the farm buildings are "a per cent bet
ter than they were ten years ago, uH.
that Notwithstanding 6S per cent Iroi
machinery is being employed. These n
creases may account for some Of ID.
mortgages.
About Our Live StOcL. s..
/ The figures OF the census as 10 t-
stock upon the farms give some reason.
/ for the high prices Of meats. our farm.
animals which 90 TO the packing houses