Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-12-05

selves With the Requirements and
Makeup of the Census Questions
Only the Uninformed Farmer SHES
From the Census Enumerator-ln-
formation Used to Better AgrcuItur-
al Conditions.
prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.)
In an advisory capacity, the United
States department of agriculture is as
Sisting the bureau of the census in
preparations for taking the 1920 cen
sus. Because the farmer usually is
busy in the early spring and also be-
cause the farm herds and tlocks are
not as replete ut this period as at
some other season, the date of the
census has been changed to January
l, 1920, instead of April l. Hence, on
January / in all sections of the coun-
try enumerators will begin the work
Of visiting the 100000 farms peopled
by 35,0O0,OO0 rural citizens, who com
prise practically One-thlrd of the total
population of the United States.
Farmers over the country are urged
0y the federal department of agricul-
ture to acquaint themselves as thor
1ughly as possible with the require
ments and makeup of the census ques-
tons. Considerable figuring and ac-
counting must be done by the farmer
although the computations are in no
respect as complicated as those essen
tial in figuring his income-taX return
to answer accurately and fully the
questions which will be put to him by
the enumeratOr. Many of these ques-
\ tons cover subject matter heretofore
not included AS the statistics obtain
ed from the agricultural census Will
largely determine the future land poll
~ of the federal government, it is
every farmers duty to make individ-
lal answers as accurately rs possible.
Such information involves some little
study on his part previous To the ap-
pearance of the enumerator.
1t is only the uniformed farmer
who SHES from the census enumerator
rs though he were an Objectionable
book agent. Others are glad to aid
this work of assembling specific facts
and figures about all the farming oper-
atoms and farms of this country, since
they are aware that this information
IS used directly for the promotion and
development of better agricultural con-
lItions throughout the country.
New Questions in Summary.
The agricultural census statistics
are divided into facts covering farm
tenure; farm acreage; farm encum-
orances farm values; farm expenses !;
uses of the land in 1919; drainage
crops produced in 1919; live stock
maintained, including an enumeration
IF the various numbers of each class
aid grade on every farm; farm fa-
Aities. such as tractors, automobiles,
trucks, and other farm conveniences {;
cooperative marketing; pure-bred ami
mails maintained; fruits; nuts; and
forest products.
Information will be secured which
will enable the United States depart
ment of agriculture to figure up the
length of the agricultural ladder
now long it takes the young farmer to
learn the rudiments of his trade, so
that he is able to graduate from the
position of hired man TO that of cash
Or share tenant, and later on 10 change
from tenant into owner. Furthermore,
The name and address of the owner of
each piece of land in the United States
will be obtained. This information will
De secured by new questions, such as
How many years, If any, did you work
on n farm for wages? How many
years have you been, or were you, q
tenant? How many years have you
farmed as an owner? How long have
Won operated this farm2 If you rent
all of this farm what do you pay as
rentf If you rent any farm land from
others or manage any farm land fol
others. give name and address of own
er of land.
Other new questions in the coming
census involve the amount OF lanc
from which no crop was harvested this
year because of crop failure; crop lant
living idle or fallow in 1919; pasture
land I'm each farm. The farmer Is alsC
requested to give the total value of his
farm January 1, 1920, as well as the
yNue of all buildings on the farm
and the value Of implements and ma
cfhery belonging to the farm. If an!
encumbrances exist against the proper
ty he is asked to specify the tota
amount of debt on the land on the da!
the census is taken, and the rate o
interest he pays on this debt.
Under the head of farm expenses
each farmer Is asked to state tn
amount expended in 1919 for hay
grain, mill feed, and other product