Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-09-07

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 con.
stituted 46.3 per cent of the total in
1910 as compared with 40.5 per cent in
1900. In several states, and in many
counties in other. states, there has
been an actual decrease in rural popu-
lation since 1900, and in most areas
where this is true there has been a
remarkable increase in values of farm
land.
Farm Buildings, Implements, and
Machinery,
1t is not alone the farm land which
has increased in value. Farm build
ings valued in 1900 as 1855, GAG, 900
have increased to 1924, 1877 900 in
1910, a growth of II per cent. 1mple-
ments and machinery show CORES
ponding but slightly less pronounced
growth in value. In 1900 they repre-.
scented $749,776,000 and in 1910 $780,.
O22, 1000, an increase in value of 68.3
per cent.
Expenditures for Labor and Ferti-
Hired labor on the farms of the
United States absorbed in 1900 an ex.
penditure of 1857 1892, 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
1889 per cent.
White and colored Farmers.
The number of farms operated by
white farmers was 5,422,892, or 85.5
per cent of all farms, while the num-
her operated by the negro and other
non-white farmers was 917,465, or
14.5 per cent of the whole. This is
slight increase in the proportion of
negro and other non-white farmers,
the proportion Of farms operated by
them ten years ago being 1874 per
cent. Whether this increase in the
proportionate number of negro farm
ers means any increase in the rela-
tive extent of farming conducted BY
the negros cannot be determined till
further tabulations are made showing
the size of the farms, by the color
of farmer.
Ownership and Tenure.
The total number of farms operated
by the owners, including those own
ing only part of the land operated
by them was 1888, 7O5 in 1910. as. COM
pared with 3,653,323 in 1900, an in.
crease of 2SO,3S2. The total number
operated in 1910 by tenants was 2.349,-
254, as against 2,O24,964 in 1900, an in
crease of 324,290. The number con-
Quoted by the hired managers was
1898 in 1910 and 59.O85 in 1900. a
decrease Of 1857.
Inc farms operated by the owners
constituted 81 per cent of the whole
number OF farms in 1910 and 63.7 per
cent in 1900; those operated by the
tenants 81 per cent in 1910 and 1858
per cent in 1900; and those conducted
by managers ! per cent at both CEN
suses. In 1890 the percentage of
farms operated by owners, including
those conducted by managers, was
71.6 per cent. This indicated that the
decrease in the proportion Of farms
operated by owners was less during
the last ten years than during the
preceding ten years.
Farm Mortgages.
Ut tie total number of farms, 1888
TO5, operated in 1910 by owners, there
were 2,622,341, or 66.7 per cent, re-
ported as owned free from debt"
while 1,311,364, or 1873 per cent. were
reported as mortgaged. There were
1895 farms for which no mortgage
report was secured, and these are in
cluded in the farms reported as free
from debt. The Census Bureau has
no information respecting the indebt-
edness in farms leased to tenants or
operated by managers.
In 1900 information was secured
concerning the owned farm homes"
At that time 2,545 ,299, or 70 per cent,
We're reported as free from debt"
while 1908, 1854, or 80 per cent, were
reported as mortgaged. There we're
26,O59 farms in 1900 for which no
mortgage report was secured, and
these were included with the farm
homes reported as free from debt"
There has thus been a considerable
greater increase in the number of
mortgaged farms than in the number
OF farms free from mortgage. The
increase in the proportion of mo: t.
gagged farms from 1900 to 1910. how
ever, was less than that from 1890 to
1900.
Farms Distributed Into Size Groups.
The statement relating to farms dis.
tributed according tc size groups
shows that those '.19 acres and