Oxford Democrat., 1911-09-19
Malne's Agricultural Bulletin.
CENSUS DATA NOT PRE-
vIoUsLY ANNOUNCED.

4 VIOUSLf ANNOUNCED.
| WASHINGTON, ID. c., Sept. s, 1911.-
The Thirteenth Census bulletin on agri'
culture for Maine has been issued by
Census Director Durand.
| Ii is stated that Maine ranks thirty
ninth in area and thirty-fourth in popu-
lation among the states and territories of
continental United States. From the
standpoint of agricultural development
1t has passed out of the class of states
| having large area of land suitable for
cultivation and not yet so utilized, with
out having definitely entered the class of
those whose available land has all been
converted into farms. As regards sdapta-
bility for agricultural operations, the
character of the state is not uniform.
The river valleys are quite productive,
but a considerable part of the state is
rugged and barren. One of these val
leys Is the largest area of fertile farm
ing land in New England.
THE AREA IN FARMS.
About SO per cent of the entire land
area of the state has been converted into
farms, and in three counties over four
fifths of the total land area is in farms,
while in only two counties the proper
ton falls below one-tifth.
During the 10 years 1890 1910 the in
crease in population was about 4S,O0O
and the number of farms increased III,
During the same period there was de
crease of over 5000 acres of farm land,
accompanied by decrease of ) acres
in the average size of farms, the average
being 1862 acres in 1900 and 104.9 acres
in 1910. 1t should be noted that during
the decade the percentage OF increase In
population was about six times that in
the number of farms.
INCREASE IN VALUE OF FARM PROPERTY.
Perhaps the most notable fact brough,
out by this bulletin is the remarkable
increase in the value of farm property
that has taken place in the state OF
Maine within the last 10 years. The
total value of farm property, according
to the census, is $3.50, ,27l ,99S, and this
represents an increase since 1900 OF
SIC, ,OOO, 900, or 62.S per cent. The value
of farm property, as returned by the
census, includes the items OF land; build
iugs; implements and machinery; and
domestic animals, poultry and bees. In
round numbers, the value of farm land
is $50. .OOO, 600; that of farm buildings,
s7S, ,OO0, 900; that of implements and ma
chinery, Sl4, 800, 600; and that of do
nestle animals, poultry and bees,
s25, ,OOO, 900. All these items of farm
property have shared in the increase
which has taken place. Of the total
increse in the value Of farm property,
S37, ,12l ,945 represents the increase in the
value of farm buildings, and s25 ,99o, ,5Sl
the increase in the value of farm lands;
the item of implements and machinery
increased by S5,6S7 ,SlS; and the item OF
domestic animals, poultry, and bees 0y
S,O55, ,SO5. On percentage basis, farm
land increased 1872 per cent in value
farm buildings 55.l per cent, implements
and machinery ga 9 per cent, and domes-
tic animals, poultry, and bees All per
cent. The greatest percentage OF in-
crease, therefore, as we'll as the greatest
absolute increase, was in the value oil
farm lands. In considering the increase
of values in agriculture the general in
crease in the prices of all commodities
the last 10 years should be borne In
mind.
The bulletin gives the farm values as
returned at each decennial census begin
ming with that of 1850. The figures,
therefore, cover a period of go years.
But in no decade within that period did
the increase in the value OF farm prop
srty equal that recorded by the census
lust taken. From 1850 to 1860 there
was an increase of 45.7 per cent in the
reported value of farm property; this
was followed by an increase OF ~ per
cent at the census of 1870, and further
increase of Is per cent at the census OF
1880. For the next 20 years, or down to
1900, the value of farm property in the
state of Maine showed no further sd-
vance. Then comes the increase OF W 8
per cent recorded by the ceAsus OF l9l0,
This increase in the value OF farm
property has not been accompanied by
any apprecisble increase IN the number
of farms or by any increase whatever In
the acreage of farm lands. The number
of farms, according to the census just
taken, is 60,0l8. This is only III, or
little more than per cent, greater than
the number reported in 1900. The acre
age of farm land Is 8. 296, $50 acres, which
is slightly less than the acreage reported
in 1900.
FARM ACREAGE AND VALUES.
The land in farms represents about
one third, or S2.9 per cent, OF the total
area of the state.