The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-01-01
MANY NEW ITEMS
In FARM CENSUS
FARMERS ARE REQUESTED TO
FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES
WITH QUESTIONS ASKED
Statistics Are Important; Consider
able Figuring and Accounting Must
Be Done to Answer Accurately and
Fully Questions Which VIII Be
Put by Enumerators.

through other agencies, the United
States department of agriculture, act
ing in an advisory capacity to the bu-
reau of the census in preparations fo1
taking the 1920 census, is urging the
farmers of Montana to acquaint
themselves as thoroughly as possible
with the requirements and makeup
of the census questions.
Because the farmer usually is busy
in the early spring, and also because
the farm herds and flocks are not as
replete at this period as at some other
season, the date of the census was
changed to January 1, instead of
April 1, and the farmers are asked
to assist in facilitating the work.
Considerable figuring and account
ing must be done by the farmer-al-
though the computations are in no
respect as complicated as those es-
~sential in figuring his income tax re-
turn-to answer accurately and fully
the questions which will be put to
him by the enumeration. Many of
those questions cover subject mat
ter heretofore not included, AS the
statistics obtained from the agricul-
tural census will largely determine
the future land policy of the federal
government, it is considered every
farmers duty to make individual an
swers rs accurately as possible. Such
information involves some little study
on his part previous to the appear
ance of the enumerator.
Scope of Statistics
The agricultural census statistics
are divided into facts covering farm.
tenure, farm acreage, farm encum-
ORANGES, farm values, farm expenses,
users of the land in 1919, drainage
crops produced in 1919, livestock
maintained, including an enumera-
ton of the various numbers of each
class and grade on every farm, farm
facilities such as tractors, automo-
biles, trucks, and other farm conven-
fences, cooperative marketing, pure
bred animals 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
how 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 to
change from tenant into owner. Fur
thermore, the name and address of
each piece of land in the United
States will be obtained. This infor-
nation will be secured by new ques-
lions, such as: How many years, if
any, did you work on a farm for
wages? How many years have you
been, or were you, a tenant? How
many years have you farmed as an
owner? How long have you operated
this farm? If you rem all of this
farm what do you pay as rent? If
you rent any farm land from others
or manage any farm land for others,
give name and address of owner of
land.
Many Values to be Given
Other new questions in the coming
ensus involve the amount of land
from which no crop was harvested
this year because of crop failure;
crop land lying idle or fallow in
1919; pasture land in each farm.
The farmer is also requested to give
the total value of his farm January
- iCEV, 90 VIGIL do IhO NdluC VI oil
buildings on the farm and the value
of implements and machinery belong
ing to the farm. If any encumbran-
ces exist against the property, he is
asked to specify the total amount of
debt on the land on the day the CEN
sus is taken, and the rate of inter
est he pays on this debt.
Under the head of farm expenses
each farmer is asked to state the
amount expended in 1919 for hay,
grain, mill feed and other products
not raised on the farm which he used
as feed for domestic animals and
poultry; the amounts of cash expend-
ed for manure and fertilizer and for
farm labor, exclusive of homework.
also is to give the estimated value
of the house rent and board fur
nished farm laborers in 1919 in adj
dition to the cash wage.
Special attention is also given to
matter of drainage, particularly
with regard to the area of the farm
which has been improved by drainage
and whether a drainage or levee dis
5rict or some form of stock company
was organized to handle drainage.
He is asked to tell the amount of land
provided with artificial drainage and
additional area needing drainage,
with respect to that needing drain
only, drainage and clearing or
only. The statistics for the
'rop and livestock reports are quite :
similar to those used during previous r
ears, although some minor modifi-
have been made.
Farm Facilities
There are other new items listed
lnder the caption of farm facilities
which include particulars regarding
he number of tractors on the farms,
he number of automobiles, motor
rucks, whether the farm has a %tele-
hone, water system and gas or elec-
ric lights. Information is also re-
uested as to whether there is a local
cooperative marketing club, and
armers are asked to give the value
f all farm products sold through or
0 such organizations In 1919, and
lso the cost Of supplies purchased |.