Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-07-14
$I45,000, 900 IN FARMS
Big Increase in Agricultural VAL.
ues in Vermont
Interesting Bulletin for the Census Bu-
reau Comparing Conditions In 1910
with Previous Decade.

Interesting Bulletin for the Census Bu-
with Previous Decade.
The 18th census bulletin on agrcul-
ture for Vermont shows that the state
ranks AID both in area and population
among the states and territories Four
tifths of the states entire land area Is
in farms. In every county except Es-
sex at least three-ffths Of the total land
area is in farms. while in four counties
the proportion exceeds nine-tenths.
The average value of farm land per
acre for the whole state is s12.52. In
Grand Isle county the average value ex-
ceeds $25 per acre, while in Essex, Or
ange, Windham and Windsor counties
it falls below $40. In all other counties
the average value per acre falls between
$40 and $25
Between 1900 and 1910 there was an in
crease of about 1900 or 3.6 per cent In
the population of the state, while there
was a decrease of $685. or IL per cent,
in the number of farms, and of nearly
81, 900 acres, or 1.3 per cent in the area
of farm land. The average size of the
farm, was however, practically the same
in both years.
Value Of Farm Property.
Farm property, which includes land,
buildings, implements, machinery, and
live stock domestic animals, poultry
and bees), has increased in value dur
ing the decade 34.1 per cent, or nearly
$37000,000. This great increase was due
chiefly to the increase of $16,945, 900 in the
value of buildings and of $12,571 900 in the
value of land, the latter being occasioned
by an advance of 29.1 per cent in aver
age value per acre. There was also an
increase of $7432,OO0 in farm equipment,
including implements, machinery and live
stock, of which more than three-fifths
represents a change in the value of do
nestle animals poultry, and bees, and
the remainder the increase in the value
of implements and machinery. In con-
sidering the increase of values in agri-
culture the general increase in the prices
of all commodities in the last 10 years
should be borne in mind.
The average value of a fully equipped
farm in 1900 was slightly under $4,000,
while 10 years later it was a little over
$4400 The average value of land rose
from approximately 80 per acre in 1900
to over $3.50 in 1910, and was accom-
panied by similar increases in the av-
erage value per farm of implements and
of domestic animals, poultry and bees.
In the so years since 1850 the popula-
ton of the state has increased by about
1900, or 1873 per cent.
Decrease In Number of Farms.
There was a gradual increase in the
number of farms from 1850 to 1880, the
total increase during the 30-year period
being $3.50. During the 30 years
from 1880 to 1910, however, there
was a decrease of 2Sl3, or an av-
erage of nearly "a per year. The
average decrease during the decade 1900
to 1910 was smaller, being only 40. In
the northwestern part of the state (Chit-
tenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle coun-
! thnre ha haan in ha
number of farms. Elsewhere the num-
Der has remained practically stationary
| or has shown a decided decrease.
The land surface of Vermont is ap
| proximately 5.S39,360 acres in extent. OF
this area, 4,663,57 acres, or 1913 per cent
were included in farms in 1910. The to-
tai acreage OF farm land decreased 13
| per cent during the last decade. OF the
| farm acreage in 1910, 1853, 965 acres or
35 per cent, were reported as improved
| land. representing 2S per cent Of the to-
| tai land area of the state. The acreage
of improved land shows decrease from
1900 to 1910, which Is much greater rela-
lively than that in the total acreage in
farms, the percentage of farm land
which was improved being considerably
lower at the last census than in 1900
The Farm Area.
There was a gradual increase from
in the acreage of improved land. The
proportion of the total land area Of the
state which was occupied by farms rose
during this period from 70.7 per cent to
| 1915 per cent, while the improved land in
creased from 631 per cent to 673 per
cent of the total land in farms. Since
1880, however, the proportion of land area
in farms has decreased until in 1910 it
was 1913 per cent this decrease having
been broken by increases during each
alternate decade. During the same 30
year period there has been a continuous
| decrease of the reported acreage OF i'm
proved land, that proportion having fall
en- to about one-half the percentage in
1910 that 1t was in 1880. This decrease
is in all proba bility more apparent than
real, owing to a change in the local
classification of land. A study of the
data at hand shows that the land re-
ported as unimproved in 1880 cores
ponds very nearly to that now returned
as woodland.
Value Of Farm Property.
In 1910 the total wealth in the form OF
farm property was $145, 100000. of which
| over three-fourths was represented by
land and buildings, 7 per cent by imple-
ments and machinery, and over Is per
cent by domestic animals. poultry and
bees. The relative gain (34.1 per cent?
! in the total value of farm property from
1900 to 1910 was over five times as great
! as during the decades Immediately pre-
| ceding, while during the decades 1880
| to 1880 and 1870 to 1880 decreases were
| reported The absolute amount of the
gain from 1900 to 1910 C$369iS,00o) was
also more than five times that reported
| for the decade Immediately preceding.
| or the total increase during the past de-
| cade. s295l7,000 represents the increase
| in the value of land and buildings, 81,
10000 the increase in implements and
machinery, and $4,s02,000 the increase in
domestic animals, poultry, and bees.