The New York herald., 1921-05-29
New York State
raises most haV
RURAL NEW YORK. BY Elmer o. Fipp
The Macmillan Company.
Reviewed by H. l.. PANGBORN.


prehensive survey of the rural phase
of development of the American common
weaths, with sufficient description of physi-
cal features and of history to explain the
present conditions of agriculture and coun-
try life. 1t is under the veteran editorship
of Prof. l.. H. Bailey OF Cornell. whose au-
.hority in this field is unquestioned. Prof.
Fippin is also of the Cornell faculty, being
extension professor of soil technology in the
New York State College of Agriculture. In
addition to his scientific standing and wide
experience Prof Ffppin is also equipped with
a facile pen His book is admirably lucid
compact and orderly. yet never arid. 1t is
thoroughly readable. If succeeding volumes
measure up to the high standard he sets
the success of the series should be assured
valuable addition to the store of in
formative and stimulating literature.
One thinks of New York as the Empire
State primarily by reason of its vast fnan-
cial predominance, its manufactures and its
possession of the greatest seaport in the
world. 1t will surprise some readers to
learn that even to-day New York ranks
eighth among all the States in the value OF
its farm crops and that in the thirteenth
census it stood first among the States in
the production of hay and forage, in vege-
tables, potatoes buckwheat and several
minor products and was second in orchard
fruits and grapes. In the last census period
this primacy has altered; slightly, however,
and hay remains the leader. The citizen of
New York is entitled to boast of quite as
much hayseed in his cosmos the man
from Iowa. Wisconsin or any of the remoter
backwoods.
More significant however. than its bulk
is the character of her farming New York
produces 3.S per cent of the total value of
all crops grown in the United States, though
the proportion of her acreage is only 2.7.
That means that the intensity of production
is much above the average. 1t means a value
of about $25 an acre of crops. against the
national average of SIS. New York's COM
parative agricultural Importance was, Of
course, much greater in certain periods of
the past--at time it the nations
granary-than it is to-day, but, on the other
hand, Prof Fippin foresees renewal of i'm
portance, in new lines, of course, for the fu-
ture New York agricultural people," he
predicts, may look forward TO a growing
condition of rural prosperity. The present
swing of events is in their direction in con-
trast to the swing against them in the period
of thirty to forty years ago. Although the
State is old as measured by American his
tory, it is new measured by the history
of civilization, and we have learned that its
resources in agricultural way are yet
largely to be developed" 1t is not a post
WOItem Indl view 1bIh TuIdl ire HttuS lO-
day, but better organization for the chang
ing future.
Roughly speaking, about II per cent. Of
the land in the State remains in farms.
Most of the remainder is forest land and
mountain country, though appreciable
acreage is taken up by the great cities and
the distinctly urban small town areas. OF
this total farm acreage about % per cent.
is In woodland, of which about half is also
fnr Including these wood
lands. SO per cent. is devoted to pasturage.
Of the cleared land about 81 per cent. is in
hay and pasture. A total of 50 per cent.
of the whole farm area is tillable. The rural
population is about 20 per cent. of the total,
but the real farmers who actually live
the farms, make only 43 per cent. of this
properly rural community. The census of
1917 gives their number at S30,517. with
very curious disproportion between males
and females there being 339,019 men and
boys over Il years old to only 271333 girls
and women The total number of farms in
1915 was 20O,9O3. The value of the strictly
farm crops in that year was S2Si 100000,
though there very little increase of
acreage over that of decade ago OBJ
viously the New York farmer s person
of no mean Importance.
Prof. Fippin begins with a rapid but re-
marsably comprehensive outline of the
physical and climatic setting of New York;
it's surface features geology. drainage sys-
tens lines of natural communication and
it's wide range of climate variations. which
include three main types-the marine, on
Long Island and the southeast corner OF
the state the continental" the southern
plateau, and the mountain, in the north.
Paul Bourget once remarked that New York
city has no climate-ony samples of
weather" But there is a value in diversity
and even in variability of climate.
The book then sketches the history of
agriculture in New York. from the days OF
the Indian to the present, remarkably in
terestng summary In many respects the
growth of agriculture, and its various
changes in conformity to altering phases of
general national development, is micro.
cosm of the progress of civilization during
tho eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in
this hemisphere. IL is an admirable illus
tration of the inevitable effects of geograph-
zeal factors upon humanity in the aggre-
gate: in the natural development of ports,
inland highways. canals, and then railroads.
all following the necessary geographical
lines bringing the gradual growth of the
farms. and also bringing the fated changes
in their character with each forward step.
And now the great increase of motor travel.
spreading out into hitherto remote corners.
bringing new territories within easy reach
of a market is beginning still another chap
ter in these changes. II is many years since
the -four mills Of Rochester could compete
with Minnesota. or the New York farmer