The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1919-11-07
GOVERNMENTS IDEA
OF WHAT A FARM IS
You May Have a Different Idea
But Census Man Will Have
Rule to Go By

Washington, November 3.-What
is farm?
Seems foolish question to ask,
doesn't it? Almost anyone can tell
off hand just what farm is and
knows one when he sees it.
But do you happen to know the in
depreciation Uncle Sam places on the
word "farm" for census purposes
No? Then read how his Bureau of
the Census defines the word:
"A farm for census purposes is all
the land which is directly farmed by
one person conducting agricultur-
al operations, either by his own la
Dor or with the assistance of mem
bers' of his household or hired en-
ployees."
In further explanation of this def
milton the Census Bureau points out
that the term agricultural opera
tons" is used as general term re-
ferring to the work of growing crops,
producing other agricultural prod
ucts and raising domestic animals,
poultry or bees.
From this definition it will be seen
that farm may consist of single
tract of land or of a number of sep
arate and distinct tracts. And these
several tracts may be held under diff
ferent tenures as, for instance, when
one tract is owned by the farmer and
another is rented by him. Thus if a
man who owns 100 acres rents an
additional ten acres from some one
else and operates both the 100 acres
and the ten acres, then his farm"
includes both tracts of land compris-
ing ITO acres.
BY the same token when land
owner has one or more tenants. rent
ers, choppers or managers, each diff
ferent tract of land operated by any
such tenant, renter, cropper or man
ager is considered a separate and dis
tlnct farm by the Census Bureau. Or.
TO give an example, if a man own
ing 12O acres of land rents 40 acres
to tenant and farms the remaining
81 acres himself, his farm is the 80
acres which he operates, not the 100
acres which he owns, while the 40
acre tract which he rents to tenant
comprises a separate farm to be re-
ported IN the name of the tenant.
Another question to be determin-
cd Is how important does an agri-
cultural enterprise have to be in or
ger TO secure recognition in the CEN
sus as a farm? A small vegetable
garden or chicken yard accommo-
dating few busy hens will not be al
lowed to qualify as EARN" in the
census no matter with what pardon
aple pride and satisfaction the pro-
prletor may view his Agricultural
enterprise.
But if the garden or chicken ward
expands until it covers not less than
three acres of ground, or until it re-
cures for its care the continuous ser
wees OF at least one person, or Yields
products annually to the value of
Szoo or more, it comes within the
census definition of farm and will
DE recognized as such and counted
The agriculture schedule contains
many questions regarding farm val
ues, expenses and live stock as wall
as the acreage and quantity of crons
raised IN the year 1919. Census IN
reau officials are urging farmers ev-
erywhere to prepare for the census
enumerator by looking over their
books and records so that accurate
answers may be furnished to ones
tions. q"e'
In this connection the Bureau of
the Census emphasizes the fact that
tnat information furnished to census
takers is absolutely confidential
made so by Act of Congress. and that
unoer no circumstances can anv sucb
Information be used as bisis for
taxation
Cooperation between farmers
and the census officials next January
IS more necessary and vital than ever
De1ore, declares Director of the
census Sam L. Rogers. "Tbe world
war and the part that the farmer
prayed IN 1t and will continue to play
IN the rehabilitation of Europe serve
TO make the agriculture section Of
tne Fourteenth Decennial Census the
most important in the Nations his.
tory. Absolute accuracy and com.
pleteness In the census returns is the
goal toward which every citizen
should strive"