The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-11-05
INTERPRETATION Of
LITTLE WORD FARM
What is a farm?

Seems a foolish question to ask,
doesn't it? Almost anyone can tell
off-hand just what a farm is. and he
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 agricultural
operations. either by his own labor
or with the assistance of members of
his household or hired employees"
In further explanation of this def
milton the census bureau points out
that the term Agricultural opera
TONS is used as a general term re-
ferring to the work of growing crops,
producing other agricultural products
and raising domestic animals, poultry
or bees.
From this definition ii 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 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 ad-
ditional ten acres from some on else
and operates both the 100 acres and
the ten acres, then his farm" in
cludes both tracts of land, compris-
ing 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, cropper. or man
ager, is considered a separate and
distinct farm by the census bureau.
Or, to give an example, If a man own
ing 120 acres of land rents forty
acres to a tenant and farms the re-
naming eighty acres himself, his
farm is the eighty acres which he
operates, not the 120 acres which he
owns; while the forty-acre tract
which he rents to a tenant comprises
a separate farm, to be reported in
the name of the tenant.
Another question to be determined
is how important does an a%gricultu-
raj enterprise have to be in order to
secure recognition in the census as
a farm? A small vegetable garden
or a chicken yard accommodating a
few hens will not be allowed to quail
ify as a farm" in the census, no mat
ter 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 bu-
reau officials are urging farmers ev-
erywhere to prepare for the census
enumerator by looking over their
books and records so that accurate
may be furnished to ques-
tions.
In this connection the bureau of
the census emphasizes the fact that
the information furnished to census
takers is absolutely confidential. and
made so by act of Congress; and that
under no circumstances may any such
information be used as a basis for
taxation.
Cooperation between farmers and
the census officials next January is
more necessary and vital than ever
before" declares Director of the Cen
sus Sam l.. Rogers. THE world wal
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