Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-09-07
General Agricultural Data for the United States
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. T.

II
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. T.
Census Director Durand gave out to-
day an important advance statement
from the Bureau of the Census con.
tanning figures and details OF the agr1'
cultural statistics of the continental
United States collected at the Thiri
teenth Decennial Census, April 18th,
1910. It is based on the preliminary
comparative summary submitted by
DR.. LeGrand Powers, chief statisticia1l
for the Bureau of the Census and
it supplements a brief preliminary
notice issued in July last.
The figures here given are subject
to revision, inasmuch as there Is a
small number of farms, the returns
for which are incomplete, WHICH will
be included in the final tables. Such
additions, however, will not materially
modify either the amounts or the
rates here stated. Further informa'
ton with regard to the acreages and
yields of the various crops and num-
Ger and value of the domestic ami
mails in the United Stat'oa will be pub
ished later, when the tabulation of tn y
material has been completed.
Slow Increase in Number Of Farms.
During the ten years which follow.
ed the census of 1900, the population
of the United States Increased q per
cent, but the number of farms did not
keep pace with the increase in popula.
ton. From 5,737 ,372 in 1900 the num-
Der grew to 6,34O,357, an increase of
602 1886, or 10.5 per cent. For the whole
United States this is the lowest rate
of increase which has been noted since
the number of farms was first recorded
in1S50. Measured by the number of
ished rate OF increase, and in large
areas of the country is practically
stationary.
Land In Farms.
The small growth in the number of
farms has not been compensated by
any growth In the size of the farms,
the average number of acres in farms
having decreased from 146 in 1900 to
1873 in 1910. The increase in the total
WI Oe6o uOVOCOu " 0El 4CulLulC Wdo
only 1884, 900 acres, or AZ per cent.
The actual area in farms was 1885,, 592 :
900 acres in 1900, and S73, 729,000 acres
in 1910.
Increase in Improved Land.
Improved land, however, increased
more rapidly than the total farm
acreage or number of farms, the ad-
vance being 414,499,00O acres in
1900, to 477,44S,00O acres in 1910. a
gain of Sz,O49, 900 acres, or 1872 per
cent in ten years. Yet this percentage
Of increa Sc was only about two-thirt1s
the growth of the population, show
ing at the best the number of acres
under cultivation and used for the
production of crops had not kept pace
with the Increase in the number of
people.
Increase in Farm Values.
In striking contrast with the slow
growth in the number and acreage of
farms and the area of improved land
during the ten years is the enormous
rise which has occurred in the value
of farm property. Farm land, exclu-
sive of buildings, which was valued at
$13, 05S, 008 900 in 1900, had more than
doubled before 1910, being then re-
turned as having a value of $28, 1885,
10000. The enormous increase here
recorded of SIS, 1928, $4,000 represents
an advance of 1174 per cent in the
value of all land in farms.
1t is Immediately evident that the
relatively small increase in the total
acreage of farm land, AZ per cent,
was one of the least important of
the factors causing the great increase
in aggregate value. The average val
ue of farm land per acre increased
from 1857 in 1900 to $32.49 in 1910,
a gain of 1862 per acre, or 1887 per
cent.
OF the factors contributing to this
increase in the average value of land
the most important Is doubtless that
of advancing farm prices Of agricul-
tural products. This has increased
the income-producing power of the
farm and correspondingly Influenced
the selling price or value of farm land.
1t is probable also that In calculating
the value of farm lands it has become
customary to capitalize the income
producing power at lower rate of
interest than formerly. This might
be true, despite the fact that interest
rates in general have probably not
fallen, because of the reduction in the
risk of farming business.
Another important factor operative
in the increasing total and average
value of the farm land throughout the
United States has been the cost of
improving what was previously unim-
proved land, including the .expendi-
lures for the irrigation Of dry land,
draining swamp land, thing and con-
structing surface drains for wet lands
removing stones and stumps. clearing
away brush, breaking up prairie land,
building fences and making other i'm
provements exclusive of buildings. Ac-
cording to the census report these
changes affected 62,949,000 acres. In
addition the farmers expended much
labor and money for increasing the
improvements of various kinds upon
land which had been reported as i'm
proved in 1900.
Allied to the foregoing expenditures
were those made by the farmers in
the form of taxes for securing i'm
nroved roads hni1dinp hridpos ron.