The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-26

NC NheHt crop fOK EF l3IO wHn worth
5000, 900, 900.
when famine was abroad in tho land.
Nevertheless, such figures arc approxi-
mately correct.
AS to the number Of farms thess
are not Affected by such changes. The
census shows that we had ia 1900
something like 5,7oo,OU0 farms, and
that Just taken shows that we now
Eether over 100000, and the increase
is httls more than 10 per cent The
figures also show that the size Of the
farins Is decreasing. The average
holding of 1900 was LAG acres, whereas
the average farm OIL to-day contains
only 1873 acres This Is aftecIed some-
what by the market gardens about the |
cities, where the holdings are very
email. They are Increasing in num-
Der, and they cut down the average
size OF the farm.
Use Adore Machines.
Notwithstanding the rush to the
cities and the dlmculty of getting farm
ilauor, the crops are as great or great
er than ever before, and they are
bringing more money. The increase
IN the quantity of Iood produced, not
wlthstanuing the loss OF the labor,
comes from the greater use of farm
machinery. This IL increasing enor-
mousiy. SiNty-eight per cent more
farm tools were employed in 1910 than
In lSU0, and that Notwithstanding the
increase in the number of farms was
only 10 per cent Tho value OF the
additional machinery was more than
S500000,00o. The money invested in
such machines has jumped from $780,
100000 to $1,000, 100000 within the past
decade.
Increase in Farm vaIues.
Tho census shows that the value OF
the farms per acre has greatly In
creased, and this. strange to say. 10
largely the case in those State from
where there has been most emigra-
ton to the city. 1t IS SO In Illinois.
Indiana and Iowa, States which have
| had large falling of in the, farm.
population. 4
As to the Increase In the value per
acre OF land the United States over.
that has more than doubled within the
past ten years 1t has been over 108
per cent. meaning Jump from Sl5
to S32 per acre. The values in many
parts of the country have been much
in excess of the present income pro-
ducing power, which looks as though
the farmers were capitalizing 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 1t profit
able business
Farm Mortgages.
Only q few years ago II was said
that the United States was blanketed
with farm mortgages, talked with
the Director of the Census as to this
matter. He says that many OF the
farms are still mortgaged. but that the
present mortgages to large extent
represent improvements or the pur-
chase of more land. whereas in tho
past they represented the debts in
Cured In going into farming end to
some extent In carrying on the busi- !
ness, which was then not so profita Bile. |
The mortgages. as now recorded by the |
census. deal only with farms operated
by the owners. In 1910 there were In
the neighborhood of 100000 such
them were free from debt doubt
whether any other business In the !
United States will show better con- |
dition.
Moreover. the prosperity Of the
farmer is evidenced by the increased |
use Of machinery and by the rise In
the value OF the buildings and other
improvements. Within the past ten
years more than s2.700. 000, 900 worth |
VI h5n uuliutilSS nave tOGeH erected. IN |
other words, the farm buildings are II |
per cent. better than they were ten i
years ago. and that Notwithstanding |
6S per cent. more machinery Is being |
employed. These increases may nc |
count for some OF the mortgages
About Our Live Stock.
The figures OF the census as to the |
stock upon the farms give some reu-
sons for the high prices of meats. Our
farm animals which go TO the packing |
houses are not increasing In the same
ratio as our population. In other /
words, there are more mouths to feed
and less meat to feed them.
Take the item OF cattle outside tho
dairies. There has been a falling off !
of more than 100000 In the number
of them within the past ten years,
and this means almost per cent. OF |
the whole. There has been a decrease
in our sheep. and although have not
the figures. the same is probably true |
of the hogs. The cattle have increased /
in value less than $4,000. 900. or less
than ] per cent. I'm a decade. an in
crease which by no means correspondent
with the increase In the prices There /
has been also an increase In the .alue
OF the sheep, and that of our spine
has risen s166ooo,oo0 during the lsst
ten years
y The census has not vet completed Its
tnbula ton of poultry figures hut am |