The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1912-01-11
Census Bureau Shows That
Land Values Doubled.
in Past Decade.
Halt of Acreage in North Da.
kota Under Cultivation
---Near Billion Mark.

state as being the nearest statement of
actual facts and conditions that can be
secured. The bulletin says in part:
The average value of farm land per
acre for the whole state is $25.000. In
practically all the counties in the west
ern two-thirds of the state the average
value is between $40 and S25 per acre,
while in the eastern third of the state
the average value of farm land is gen.
orally between $25 and $50 per acre.
Between 1900 and 1910 there was an
increase of 90.8 per cent per cent in the
population of the state, of GA per cent
IN the number of farms and of 829 per
cent in the acres OF farm land. The
average size of the farms increased
1874 acres, or Ills per cent.
GREAT INCREASE IN VALUE.
The aggregate value of farm prop
erty has increased during the decade
$719, ,547, 900, and is now nearly four
times as great as in 1900. This in
crease is chiefly made up of the in
creases of 557, ,O28, 900 in the value of
land and of s66, ,s48. 600 in the value of
buildings. There is also an increase of
$95, ,671 1000 in the value of farm imple-
ments and machinery and live stock,
of which more than two-thirds repre-
sents gain in the value of live stock
and the remainder the increase in the
: value of implements and machinery.
In considering the increase of values in
agriculture the general increase in the
prices of all commodities in the last ten
years should be borne in mind.
The average value of farm with its
equipment in 1900 was $5,6S1, while
ten years later it was $13,1 The
average value of land rose from $11.10
per acre in 1909 to $25. SO in 1910.
IRRIGATION.
Of the "a, 800 farms in the state, 69,
or only one-tenth of one per cent,
were reported as irrigated in 1909 was
1929 acres, or less than one-tenth of
one per cent of the improved land in
farms. The area to which enterprises
existing in 1910 were capable of sup
plying water was 21,917 acres, while
the total acreage included in irrigation
projects, completed under way, in 1910
was 3S, 173 acres.
: POPULATION, NUMBER OF FARMS AND
FARM ACREAGE-1890 TO 1910.
In the twenty years since 1890 the
population of the state has increased
1856, ,O73, or 1922 per cent, about two
thirds of this increase occurring during
the last decade.
In 1910 there were IA, 1850 farms In
North Dakota, or slightly more than
two and two and two-thirds times as
many as in 1890. The absolute in
crease was most RAPID during the last
decade, when it averaged 1908 per
year, as compared with 1,772 year
during the decade 1890-1900.
MORE THAN HALF OF LAND is EARNED.
The land surface of North Dakota is
approximately 44.917, l20 acres and of
this area 28, ,426, $50 acres or 63.3 per
cent are included in farms. Of this
farm acreage 20, 1885, ,O92 acres, or u
per cent is reported as improved land,
representing 45.5 per cent of the total
land area of the state. The total acre
age of farm land increased by 1884
01O acres, or 1928 per cent, during the
last decade, and the acreage of i'm.
proved land by 10,8l0,572 acres, OF
1921 per cent. The proportion Of
farm land which is improved was high
er in 1910 than in 19OO.- In the decade
1890 to 1900 both total acreage and i'm.
proved acreage more than doubled.
FARMS WORTH 81, ,0OO, 600, 900.
The total wealth in the form of farm
property is 1914, 4,8l4,Oo0, of which 94.4
per cent is represented by land and
buildings, as per cent by implements
and machinery, and Ill per cent by
live SCOCks 1uC w az VctAS VI AoAA III
property is nearly four times what il
was in 1900, and about ten times what
it was in 1890. The absolute and rel
ative gains in all classes of farm prop
!, erty have been rapid and continuous
since 1890.
FARMS INCREASING IN SIZE.
In average size the North Dakota
farm has increased in each decade
since 1890, the increase in number Of
acres being from 277.4 in 1890 to 1922
in 1900 and 1928 in 1910. This in
crease may be accounted for by the
fact that at the earlier dates there was
larger proportion Of farms which had
been acquired from the government
ana were still Of the original size,
usually, 100 or $50 acres. These
tracts have been united in many
eases into larger farms. as result Of