The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-09-08

proved land, including the eXpendi-
lures for the irrigation or dry land,
draining swamp land. tiling and con-
structing surface drains for wet lands,
removing stones and stumps, clearing
away brush, breaking up prairie land,
building fences, and making other inn
provements exclusive of buildings. Ac-
cording to the census report these
changes affected 62,949,OOO acres. In
addition the farmers expended much
labor and money for increasing the i'm
.provements of various kinds upon land
which had been reported as improved
in 1900.
Allied to the foregoing expenditures
were those made by the farmers in
the form of taxes for securing improy-
ed roads, building bridges, construct
ing schoolhouses, and making other
community Improvements, which have
doubtless increased farm values.
The fact that desirable free land has
practically disappeared, resulting in
an increase in the number of buyers,
and that this number has been aug
mented by an increased demand for
homes in the open country, has caused
an upward movement in values. At the
same time the owners of farm lands
are less willing to sell than formerly,
appreciating as they do the lower cost
of living in the country as well as the
growing importance of land owner
ship. They place value on the farm
as a home as well as a place to work
for living
In connection with the increase in
the average value of farm land, it is
interesting to note the fact that in the
past decade, as for many decades pre-
viously, there has been a much more
rapid increase in urban than in rural
population. The population classed by
the census bureau as urban constitut-
ed 46.3 per cent of the total in 1910 as
compared with 40.5 per cent in 1900
In several states, and in many coun-
ties in other states, there has been an
actual decrease in rural population
since 1900, and in most areas where
this is true there has been a remark
able increase in values of farm land
Farm Buildings, implements And
Machinery.
1t is not alone farm land which has
increased in value. Farm buildings
valued in 1900 $3,556, $4,000 have in
creased to $6,294,737 900 in 1910, a
growth of II per cent. Implements
and machinery show a corresponding
but slightly less pronounced growth
in value. In 1900 they represented
$749, ,776,00O and in 1910 81 ,262, ,O22, ,000
an increase in value of 6S.9 per cent
Expenditures For Labor And Fertilizers
Hired labor on the farms of the
United States absorbed in 1900 an ex-
penditure of $357,392, 900 and in 1910
$645, ,612, 900, an increase of 500 per
cent. Expenditures for fertilizers are
much less important, being in 1910
|$114,277 900. Compared, however, with
an expenditure of $50, ,432, 900 in 1900,
this represents an increase of 1893
per cent.
The number of farms operated by
white farmers was 5,422,S92, or $50
per cent of all farms, while the num-
Der operated by negro and other non
white farmers was 7465, or 14.5 per
cent of the whole. There is a sli It in
crease in the proportion of negro and
other non-white farmers the proper
tion of farms operated by them 10
years ago being 1874 per cent. Whether
this increase in the proportionate
number of negro farmers means any
increase in the relative extent of farm
| ing conducted by negroes can not be
determined till further tabulations are
made showing the size of farms, by
color of farmer.