Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-11-07
What Is
A Farm?
Interpretation of the Word
Farm" in 1920 Census.
What is a farm?

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?
When read how his Bureau Of the Gen.
sus defines the word:-'
"A farm for census purposes is all
the land which is directly farmed by
Zone person conducting agricultural op
erations, either by his own labor or
with the assistance of members of his
household or hired employees
In further explanation of this definit-
ion the Census Bureau points out that
the term agricultural operations" is
used as general term referring to the
work of growing crops, producing other
agricultural products and raising do
mestic animals, poultry or bees.
From this definition il will be seen
that farm may consist of a single tract
OF land or OF number of separate and
distinct tracts And these several tracts
may be held under different tenures as,
for instance, when one tract is owned
by the farmer and another is rented by
him. Thus ii man who owns 100 acres
rents an additional teu acres from some
one else and operates both the 100 acres
and the ten acres, then his "farm" in
cludes both tracts of land comprising
10 acres.
BY the same token when landowner
has one or more tenants, renters, crop
pers or managers, each different tract
vi land operated by any such tenant,
ed a separate and distinct farm by the
Census Bureau. Or, 10 give an ex-
ample, II man owning 10 acres OF
lano rents 40 acres to a tenant and
farms the remaining 80 acres himself,
his farm is the 81 acres which he OPP
crates not the 120 acres which he owns,
while the 40 acre tr CT which he rents
10 tenant comprises a separate farm
to be reported IN the name of the ten
ant.
Another question to be determind is
how important does an agricultural en-
terprise have to be in order TO secure
recognition in the census as farm!
A small vegetable garden or chicken
yard accommodating few busy hens
will not be allowed to qualify as a
farm" In the censns no matter with
what pardonable pride and satisfaction
the proprietor may view his agricultural
enterprise.
But if the garden or chicken yard ex-
pands until il covers not less than three
acres OF ground, or until it requires for
its care the continuous services of at
least one person, or yields products ann
3ally to lhe 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 values,
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 pre-
pare for the census enumerator by look
ing over their books and records so that
accurate answers NAV be furnished 10
questions.
In this connection the Bureau OF the
Census emphasizes the fact that the in
formation furnished to census takers is
absolutely confidential, made so by Act
of Congress, and that under no cir.
cumstances can any such information
be used as basis for taxation.
"Co-operation between farmers and
the census officials next January is
more necessary and vital than ever be.
fore," declares Director of the Census
Sam. l.. Roger. "The world war and
the part that the farmer played in it and
and will continue to play in the rehabil
itation of Europe serve to make the
agriculture section of the Fourteenth
Decennial Census the most important
in the Nations history. Absolute acc
uracy and completeness in the census
returns is the goal toward which every
citizen should strive"
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