The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-06-12
SHOWS FARMERS
MOVE TOO OFTEN
Census Indicates the Cause Of
Many Failures.
100000 LEFT WITHIN YEAR

i
Which Prove Smaller Yield In Sec
tions Where Frequency of Removal
From the Land Is Greatest-Condi-
tions Vary In Different Sections.
Do farmers I'm 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
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, 500 farm operators In the United
States April IS, 1910, 5.794,76S or 81
per cent, answered the question salts
factorily. From the data obtained from
the answers to this inquiry a 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 81 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 it requires three or
four years for a 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-ffths, Of the farm
ers had operated their farms for five
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 Al 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 num-
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 62S.OOO reported
residence Of lone year." an average Of
about $4,000 reported residence of
two years." three years" and -four
years." and an average Of less than
5000 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 q 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-five bushels; in the
middle Atlantic states, thirty-two BUSH
els; in the east north central states,
thirty-niDe 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
central states, nineteen bushels, and in
the west south central. sixteen bushels.
These figures seem to show that in
those sections where farmers generally
have operated the same farms for pc
RODS Of FIVE years and over the yield
of corn is considerably larger than in
the sections where the period of occu-
pancy is more unstable or for shorter
periods Of time.