The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-26
KANSAS Agriculturist Well Sit
uated, Federal Returns Show.
C. Of C. Tells of Many Advan.
tages in Sunflower State.
AVERAGE FARM IS 274 ACRES
Nearly $4,000 Tractors Used in
Pulling Implements in State.
Homes Equipped With Electric
Lights, Gas and>Water.

The lot of the Kansas farmer as
compared with that OF the farmer IN
other states, is an enviab1e one, ac-
cording to tables which have been
compiled BY the Kansas Commercial
Secretaries association from figures
quoted from the federal census re-
turns ana from state and federal crop
statistics.
In a folder which is designed by
the secretaries Association TO be en-
closed IN all mail which Is sent out
OF the state. the following description
of the advantages of farming in KAN
sas, is given.
Prosperity in general crop and live.
stock farming Is enhanced by the emf
large areas Of land. The small farm
devoted TO general farming may make
n comfortable living for the operator,
but the gasoline engine has developed
profits in the large farm
Average Farm 10 2T4.S Acres.
Kansas farmers operate sO.s0O,76o
acres of improved Land. No other state
except Texas operates so large an area
of improved farm lands. The average
Kansas farm comprises of 274.S acres.
of which 1851 acres is improved. Only
four states have great an acreage
of improved land per farm. The aver
age for the United States IL Hasa
acres. Yet only two-thirds of Kansas
farm lands are improved. Such large
areas can be handled only by the ex-
tensive use of farm machinery. The
surface of Kansas is an undulating
plain. This permits the use of modern
machinery to greater extent and
with greater economy than in most
states
Nearly 10000 tractors are pulling
implements across Kansas farms. Only
two other states have as many farm
tractors as has Kansas, and only |
four other states have as large a per-
centage of farms with tractors.
Nearly 1000 trucks are owned by |
Kansas farmers. Trucks are on 2.5 |
per cent OF Kansas farms, while only |
2 per cent OF the farms in the United |
States have them The average Kan
saa farm is equipped with $936.OO |
worth of implements and machinery |
as compared to only $557.00 per farm |
in the United States.
Homes Have Modern Improvements. /
Over $4,000 Kansas farm homes |
have electric or gas lights, and over
$4,000 have water piped into the
Rural telephones are in 12s,75S |
Kansas farm homes, or 77.9 per cent /
OF them. Only one state has as large /
a per cent of farm homes with tele-
phones S!xty-two per cent of Kan
sas farmers own automobiles, to the |
number of 111.O55. Only three other |
states have as many farmer owned ]
autos. or as large a per cent of farms |
The average Kansas farm is worth |
S1Ir22.OO. This Is 20 per cent more |
than the average OF $10,2s4.O0 for the |
United States.
Livestock per farm in Kansas is |
worth $1,924.O0. This is so per cent /
more than the value per farm OF ST.
24s.0O for the United States.
1--we on q High Plane. II
Thus IL appears that Kansas farm
ers enjoy more conveniences live on /
a higher plane, and possess a better
financial foundation than the farmers /
of most other states. As compared
the average farmer of the United |
States. the Kansas farmer has 6S per |
cent more implements and IS per cent
more livestock. In Kansas, as COM
pared to the United states, there IS
more than twice as large a per cent
of farms with autos; over two and a
half times as large per cent with
tractors; twice as large per cent with
telephones; a much greater per cent !
with motor trucks and with electric
Indeed the Kansas farmer is very
comfortably fixed, thank you.
Yes. the Kansas farmer is in debt,
but his Indebtedness is smaller in pro-
portion to the value of his farm than
IN forty-one other states, if you please.
His mortgage debt IS 25.9 per cent OF
the value OF the land. while the aver
age for the United States is 29.1 per
cent. Kansas farmers pay per cent
on mortgages, while the rate for the
United States averages 81 per cent.
Thus the Kansas farmer owns more,
owes less, and pays n lower rate of
interest than the average farmer of
the United States. The Kansas farm
er should worryt