The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-11-06
Census Interpretation Of the Word
"Farm"
what is a farm?

"farm"
What is a farm?
Seems a foolish question to ask,
doesn't it? Almost anyone can tell
off hand just what d farm is and
knows one when he sees il.
But do you happen TO know the in
t~erpreation Uncle Sam places on the
word farm" for celsius purposes?
No? Then read how his Bureau of
tho Ctnsus defines the word;
"A farm for census purposes is all
the land which is directly farmed BY
one person conducting agricultural
operations, either by his own labor or
with the assistance of members of his
household or hired employees
In further explanation of this defn-
ition the Census Bureau points out
that the term agricultural opera
TORS" is used as a general term refer
ring to the work of growing crops,
producing other agricultural products
and raising domestic animals, poultry
or bees.
From this definition it will be seen
that a farm may consist of a single
tract Of land or of a number of sepa-
rate and distinct tracts And these
several tracts may be held under dif-
ferent tenures as, for instance, when
one tract is owned by the farmer and
another is rented by him. Thus ii 4
man who owns 100 acres rents an ad
ditional ten acres from some ONT iSsel
and operates both the 100 acres and
the ten acres, then his farm includes
both tracts of land comprising lilo
acres.
BY the same token when a landown-
Ell has one or more tenants, renters,
troopers or managers, each different
tract OF land operated by any such
tenant, renter, cropper or manager is
considered a separate and distinct
farm by the Census bureau Or, 10
give an example, if a man owning f20
acres OF land rents 40 acres to a ten
ant and farms the remaining so acres
hiraself, his farm is the 80 acres which
he operates, not the 120 acres which
he owns. while the 40 acre tract which
he rents to a tenant comprises a sepa-
rate farm TO be reported in the name
of the tenant.
Another question to be determined
is how important does an agricultural
enterprise have to be in order to aa
cure recognition in the census as a
farm A small vegetable garden or a
chicken yard accommodating a few busy
hens will not be allowed to qualify As
a farm in the census no matter wikb
wha. pardonable pride and s~atisfac
ton the proprietor may view his agri-
cultural enterprise.
But If the garden or chicken yard
expands until 1t covers net less than
three acres OF ground. or until IL re
quires for it's care the continuous SER
vices of at least one person. or yields
products annually to the value of $3.50
or more. il comes within the census
definition OF a farm and will be recog
nized as such and counted
The agricultural schedule contains
many questions regarding farm val
ues. expenses and livestock as well az
the acreage and quantity OF crops
raised in the year 1919. Census Blu
9 officials are urging farmers |
everywhere TO prepare for the census
enumerator by looking over their
books and records so that accurate an
swers may be furnished to auestionstI
lnsthis connection the Bureau of The
Census emphasizes the fact that in-1
formation furnished to census takers
Is absolutely confidential. made so by
Act of Congress. and that under no !
circumstances can any such informa-
tion be used as 4 basis for taxation.
Corporation between farmers and
the census officials text January IS
more necessary and vital than ever
before" declares Director Of the Cen
sus Sam l.. Rogers. "The world war
and the part that the farmer played
in IL and will continue to play In the
rehabilitation OF Europe serve to make
he agriculture section of the Four
zenith Deccnniai Census the most I'm