Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1912-04-25
100000 FARMS IN
THE UNITED STATES
Census Bureau Combines Re-
ports for Separate States
On Farming.
$4,000, 900 ACRES TITLED
Slightly Less Than One Half of Total
Acreage of Country Comes un-
der the Classification of
Farm Lands.

washington. Special: An advance
census bulletin on agriculture In the
United States is in press.
1T is a summary OF the 18th census
statistics regarding the number of
farms. total land area, acreage of ali
farm land and of Improved farm land
and values of all farm property and
ne separate classes which have been
issued for the separate. states and each
county thereof in the form Of state
bulletins
IL gives the principal data pertain
ing to farms and farm property BY
states and geographic divisions for 1910
and 1900. and by geographic divisions,
but not by states from 1850 to 1910
There are in the United States
S'S.1!SOOO acres, of which 47S,45s.OOO
acres are improved. Tho land in farms
represents somewhat less than nac-
iiali. 49, per cent. OF the total land
area of the country, while the improved
iand represents somewhat over one
haif. 5i.4 pcl cent, pf the total acre
age of land in farms. Improved land
thus represents almost exactly one
fourth OF the total land area OF the
country The average SIC o.! Il farm
~ lSS.1 acres, of which, i,ii the average,
Io.2 acres are Improved
Enormous Total Value.
The total value ~ Farm property
reaches the enormous sum OF s40,99l,
100000. of which over two-thirds repre-
snhts the value of land. about one
sixth the value OF buildings and about
another one-si1th the combined value
or implements and machinery and OF
I'VE stock. The average value Of all
farm property reporting is S6,444 The
average value of all! farm property an
acre "f land In farms IS ;4e.6A. and
the average value OF Land itself an
acre. $32.4O
IL is significant fact that whereas
the total population increased q per
cent since 1900, the urban population
Increased 34.S per cent and the rural
population only H.. per cent The
number and acreage of farms increased
much less rapidly than the total pop
ulation, but more nearly kept pace with
the rural population movement The
number OF farms increased 1913 per
cent, while rural population increased!
~ per cent. The tota! farm acreage
Increased only AS per cont. This. how
eyer. is less significant than tine In
crease i'm acreage of improved farm
land. which amounted ia ia per cent
sl'o% ing a greater percentage of it,
crease than the number o! farms or
rural population, but still falling APP
parently behind the Increase i'm total
population. 1t should be noted that
''rural population is a much broader
Rural as here used includes tbs. en-
tire population outside OF Incorporated
places TOR New England "toWns'} hax-
ilis 800 or more inhabitants
Size of Farms Decrease.
The average size ot !, farm decreased
from lf6.2 acres i'm 1901 to 1851 acres
il, 1910. but the average acreage OF inn
proved land per farm was somewhat
greater in the latter year tllnn in the
4 tS. fI,1<,
ed Increase In the proportion OF land
improved, from 494 per cent in 1900
To 54.l In 1910. is partly due to differ
ences OF Interpretation as to what CON
stitutes improved land.
The total value of farm property q
little more than doubled during the
decade 1900 to 1910. The greater part
OF this extraordinary increase has been
I'm farm land. the value OF which in
creased no less than 1851 per cent, and
this ia turn was largely due to the
advance in the price of land, the aver
age value per acre being more than
twice as high in 1910 as in 1900. s:2.4o.
however. been remarkable increases
also in the value of farm buildings
and equipment, the value of buildings
having increased us per cent. that OF
implements and machinery. 68.T per
cent, and that OF live stock. COL per
Ntt.N. Inc, IIlCIcdSc Ill JnS Vdllle OF
buildings and of implements and ma
chincry is due in large part to actual
additions to and improvements in the
equipment of farms. although 1t is
doubtless due In part also to the in
creased prices of commodities in gen
eral. The Increase In the value of
farm land per acre is In Some part at
tributable to the large increase in acre
age of improved land, and to other
improvements, such as more and bet
ter fences. drains and the like, but is
due in much greater part to the higher
prices of farm products and other
causes which makes the land as land
more valuable. The increase in the ag-
gregate value of live stock is almost
wholly due to higher values per head
In spite of the decrease in the aver
age size OF farms, the average value
OF all farm property per farm Increased
from s3,563 in 1900 to s6.444 in 1910 or
sos per cent.