The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-06-29
FARM VALUES AVERAGED HIGH
Number Of Owners of Farms has In
creased Steadily in Census Period
and Hay is Still the Leading Crop
of the State

Wisconsin agriculture has been issued
by Acting Director Fall1ner.
1t is stated that Wisconsin ranks
twenty-fourth in area and thirteenth
in population among the states and
territories of continental United
States. From the standpoint of agri-
cultural development it has passed out
of the class of states having a large
area of land suitable for cultivation
and not yet so utilized, without hav
ing definitely entered the class of those
the available land of which has all
been converted into farms.
AS regards. adaptability for agricul-
tural operations the character of the
state is not uniform. In the southern
part the land is nearly all suitable for
farm purposes, while in the northern
portion it is rough and in a large
measure has not thus far been found
available for such use.
More than 80 per cent of the land
area has been converted into farms
in all except one of the southern and
southeastern counties, while in the
northern counties less than 25 per
cent of the land area, and in the case
of five counties less than 10 per cent
has been so utilized.
During the ten years the increase in
population slightly exceeded 100000,
and the number of farms increased
1882. During the same period there
was an increase of nearly 100000
acres of farm land, and of more than
100000 acres in improved land. These
were accompanied, however, by an in
crease of only acres in the average
size of FARMS
Farm property, which includes land,
buildings, implements, machinery and
live stock domestic animals, poultry,
and bees), has increased in value dur
ing the decade 74.1 per cent, or more
than 1901 100000, Tt was chiefly due
to the advance of 1891 1895, 900 in the
value of land. This was associated
with an increase of more than $134.-
100000 in the value Of farm build
ings, and nearly $S6,0OO,O0O in farm
equipment, including implements, ma
chinery, and live stock.
The bulletin points out that in con
sidering the gain in Values the gen.
eral increase in the prices of all
commodities in the last ten years
should be borne in mind.
Average Value of Farms.
The average value of fully equip
ped farm in 1900 was slightly less
than $4,000, while ten years later it
was about $4,000. The average value
of land rose from approximately $27
per acre in 1900 to more than $40 in
1910 and was accompanied by other
changes in the average value of farm
implements and domestic animals, |
poultry, and bees, notably in horses
and mules.
The population increased during
every decade since 1850, but smaller
increase was recorded from 1900 to
1910 than for any other, except from
1870 to 1880.
1t is significant, according to the
bulletin, that of the total increase,
1882, in the number of farms during
the decade, there was a gain Of 1914
in the class Of owners and managers,
and 1858 in tenants. In 1880 nine
out of each hundred farms were loper- |
ated by tenants. Tenancy has been
gaining on ownership for thirty years,
until in 1910 fourteen out of each
hundred farms were so operated. |
During the last decade the increase
in tenancy was slight.
The relative number of farm homes
or farms operated by the owners
which are mortgaged has increased
regularly since 1890. From 1890 to
1910 the number has increased 21,8S7, |
or 1916 per cent. During the same
time the increase in the total number |
of farms in the state was 81 per
cent
In 1910 mortgage indebtedness was
reported for 77,129 farms, though for
a considerable number of these the
amount of the debt was not stated.
About three-ffths of Wisconsin |
farm operators are natives and two
ffths foreign born.
A little more than % per cent of
was in the form Of rent and board;
the amount expended for labor in 1909
the total expenditure increasing 1874
per cent during the decade. Slightly
more than one-half of the farmers
hired labor, and the average amount
expended by the farmers hiring was
$211.
The acreage of corn has decreased
in the leading corn district. Iowa
county decreasing I per cent; La
fayette, 20 per cent; Green, IL per
cent; Dane, Il per cent, while along