The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-01-24
new YORK FARMS
There Are 215.600 In the State,
Having 100000 Acres.


A Great Field For Grange EndeaVor Is
Found on These 215ooC Fsrms-onIy
22 Per Cent OF Our 9,o00,o0o Live on
Farms or In Villages or Small Cities.
The New York state department of
agriculture bulletin 3S on The Agri
cultural Advantages of New York" car
ries a vast amount of profitable infor-
nation and seeks to correct many mis-
leading statements concerning the ag-
ricultural conditions of our state that
have been circulated from time to
time. The vast western agricultural
enterprises have drawn many eastern
people as we'll as the immigrant that
comes to our shores out to the western
prairies Many have found it profta-
BILE to go there. and many of them
have come back. Had there been
systematic publicizing of the advan-
tages of New York years ago much or
this westward movement would not
have passed out of the western borders
of the Empire State.
As some one has said New York
state will soon become a great market
garden. so near is it to the greatest
market of the country-New York city
and within its borders are so many
other large cities. While there are over
100000 people in the state, we learn
that only % per cent live on farms.
in villages and cities with population
of less than $4,000; rs per cent live In
cities of $4,000 and over, while 81 per
cent reside in Greater New York.
There are approximately 215,6OO farms
in the state. and, as the average farm
contains about 100 acres, there are D.
100000 acres of land in farms. The
great problem before the New York
farmer is to figure out how the % per
cent shall feed not only themselves,
but the rs per cent. The statement
that New York is soon to be one great
market garden is emphasized by the
/ fact that one-third of the entire pop
ulation Of the United States is within
one nights shipment by express and
tnirty-si hours by freight Of the farms
of the state. The man who locates a
farm near market and tills it with
Industry has no need to fear the flu
ture
We hear not q little about the de-
serted farms of the state. and there are
some, no doubt, but there are not so
large a number as many think there
are. There are possibly many unoccu'
pied which are cultivated by neigh
uu.ing farmer. but that the soil has
| lost its usefulness on these farms even
Is very far from the fact The exist
! ence of these cheap New York farms
| has been taken as proof that they have
been abandoned because some Of the
| land is no longer cultivated. but these
! farms are not so much worn out as are
the methods Of farming. These unoc-
cupiad farms have fertile acres and
constitute a reserve asset Of much I'M
told wealth When the growth of pop
ulation and the movement from city
to country shall have made 1t neces-
]
we shall find that they will contribute
their full share of products to the de-
mands that will he made upon them.
They have lacked education and social
advantages upon these farms modern
machinery has scarce been seen on
them, modern farm methods have not
been practiced, and the result has been
what might have been eXpected-their
occupants have moved away to the
village, larger town or great city. But
the tide is turning and these farms
will again be occupied Since the year
1905 the department Of agriculture has
listed farms for sale, describing them
in detail and giving the name of owner.
price. etc. and as a result over $S000,-
600 has been expended in the purchase
OF farms listed In these bulletins and
prices have ranged from So to S25 per
acre. and not in n single instance has
n buyer failed to secure a satisfactory
reward from proper cultivation. Great
as is the production Of all farm crops
in this state, 1t will be still greater in
the future. 1t must be! Productive
farms must be made more productive:
extensive farming must give way to
intensive farming; every rod of farm
land that is tillable must be made to
render its proportion Of product for the
sustentation Of the increas sing number
of consumers. ]. W. BARROW.