The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1919-11-05
Do You Own a Farm?
Meaning Of the Word

Washington, November S:-What
is farm
Seems a 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
Interpretation Uncle Sam places on
the word farm" for census purpos-
es? 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 agricultural
operations, either by his own labor or
with the assistance of members of his
household or hired employees"
In further explanation of this de-
fnition the Census Bureau points out
that the term agricultural opera
tions" is used as general term re-
ferring 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 farm may consist of a single
tract of land or Of a number of
separate and distinct tracts. And
these several tracts may be held un-
der different tenures as, for instance,
when one tract is owned by the farm
er and another is rented by him.
Thus if 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
comprising ITO acres.
By the same token when a land
owner has one or more tenants, rent
ers, troopers or managers, each diff
ferent tract of land operated by any
such tenant, renter, croper or mana
ger is considered a separate and dis
tinct farm by the Census Bureau.
Or, to give an example, if a man
owning 100 acres Of land rents 40
acres to a tenant and farms the re-
naming 80 acres himself, 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 separate 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 Sc
cure recognition in the census as
farm? A small vegetable garden or
a chicken yard accommodating a few
busy hens will not be allowed to
qualify as lam in the census no
matter with what pardonable pride
and satisfaction the proprietor may
view his agricultural enterprise.
But if the garden or chicken yard
expands until it covers not less than
three acres of ground, or until it re-
quires for its care the continuous
services of at least one person, or
yields products annually to the value
of $3.50 or more, it comes within the
census definition of a farm and will
be recognized as such and counted.
The agriculture schedule contains
many questions regarding farm val
ues, expenses and live stock as well
as the acreage and quantity of crops
raised in the year 1919. Census
Bureau officials are urging farmers
everywhere to prepare for the census
enumerator by looking over their
books and records so that accurate
= uS"eIS may Dc luIHlSneu 10 QueS-
tions.
In this connection the Bureau of
the Census emphasizes the fact that
nIormaIlon furnished to census
takers is absolutely confidential,
made so by Act of Congress, and that
under no circumstances can any such
be used as basis for
taxation.
Incorporation between farmers
and the census officials next January
is more necessary and vital than ever
before" declares Director of the |
Census Sam L. Rogers, "The world |
war and the part that the farmer
played in it and will continue to play |
in the rehabilitation of Europe serve
to make the agriculture section of the
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"