Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-05-29
SHOWS FARMERS
MOVE TOO OFTEN
Census Indicates the Cause Of
Many Failures.
100000 LEFT WITHIN YEAR

Which Prove Smaller Yield In Sec.
tions Where Frequency Of Removal
From the Land Is Greatest-Condi-
tions Vary In Different Sections.
Do farmers in the United States
move from farm to farm. from home to
home. as much as city people? If they
move every few years are they as eff
cient farmers and can they know their
farms as they should? Would constant
change mean low yields of crops and
little interest In the community:
These are some Of the questions affect
ing rural communities that are coming
to the foreground. and for the first time
a partial answer can be given with au.
thority.
During the agricultural census of
1910 this question was submitted to
each farmer for answer: How long
have you lived on this farm?" OF the
6,361.5O2 farm operators in the United
States April Is. 1910. 5.794,76S. or ~
per cent, answered the question salts
factorily. From the data obtained from
the answers to this inquiry bulletin
will be issued soon by the bureau of
the census department of commerce
The statistics will show the length of
the periods Of occupancy Of farms in
the United States by states. geographic
divisions and sections, for different Pc
RODS Of time ranging from less than
one year to ten years and over. and
these data are further classified accord.
ing to the character of the tenure and
Of the color Of the farm operators The
statistics are given for 1910 only. as no
corresponding data have been collected
heretofore.
Cause Of Frequent Failure.
One Of the most important facts is
that approximately SO per cent of the
farmers who answered the question
satisfactorily had occupied their farms
less than five years. This short period
Of occupancy for over half of all the
farmers in this country becomes all the
more significant when 1t Is taken into
consideration that 1t requires three or
four years for farmer to become ac-
Quainted with the various conditions
on his farm, such as soil, climate, etc,
and put it in good condition for raising
crops
Different conditions are found in diff.
ferent sections. In the north 81 per
cent. or nearly three-fifths. of the farm
ers had operated their farms for Eve
years or longer. while only % per cent
had been there one year or less. In
the west the proportions were A and
q per cent respectively. while in the
south only III per cent had been on the
same farm five years or longer and "a
per cent, or over One-third. had been
there one year or less. A great mum.
Der of farmers had operated their
farms LESS than one year" than from
five to nine years. inclusive" More
than 100000 farmers reported that
they had operated their farms LESS
than one year." about 62S0O0 reported
residence of lone year." an average Of
about $4,000 reported a residence of
two years" three years" and -four
years." and an average Of less than
100000 reported residence for periods
Of five to nine years"
The figures returned by the "occu.
pancy Of farms" census also show that
the farmers classified as ''owners.
Free" move from farm to farm much
less frequently than the 'share ten.
ants"-farmers who rent farms on
shares.
Effect on Crop Production.
The showing of greater stability of
occupancy by the farmers in the north
as compared with the farmers In the
south and the west Is more significant
when comparisons are made of the pro-
duction of farm crops. Corn is grown
extensively both in the north and in
the south and probably Is the best crop
to use as a basis Of comparison. Ac.
cording to the figures from the reports
Of the census. the average yield Of corn
per acre in 1909 In the New England
states was forty-flve bushels: in the
middle Atlantic states. thirty-two BUSH
els; In the east north central states.
thirty-nine bushels. and in the west
north central states. twenty-eight bush
els. while in the south Atlantic states.
where the farmers shifted from farm
to farm more than in the north and
west. the average yield Of corn per acre
was sixteen bushels: in the east south
copfraI SfotaS niuptaon huSholS and in