Imperial Valley press., 1925-08-18
SLIGHT DECREASE
In j. s. FARMS IS.
SEEN BY REPORT

There were 10000 fewer farms, or
decrease of onehalf of one per
cent, in the United States last year
as compared with 1923, and a re-
duction of land in crops of 100000
acres or one third of one per cent,
the department of agriculture has
found in a survey of the situation.
OF the decreased crop area, appro-
ximately 100000 acres were used
for additional pasture.
The survey shows that some far
mcrs in nearly all parts of the coun-
try are extendin1 the cultivated
area either by clearing, drainage, or
dry farming, but that for the coun-
try as II whole many more farmers
are allowing plow land to be idle.
The area of idle plow land, exelud-
ing summer fallow, is placed at over
-. .000,0 acres which is about nine
times as much as the area brought
into cultivation for the first time
in 1924.
The decrease in number of farms,
though small, is quite general in
central and southern Georgia and
southeastern Alabama where it
ranges from l to 10 per cent: i'll
much of Michigan and Missouri,
where it averages, about . per cent;
in most of Colorado: in southeastern
Idaho and eastern Washington,
where it ranges in general from I
to per cent. Undoubtedly some
of this decrease is accounted for
by consolidation of farms into lars.
cr economic units.
Increase in number of farms. on
the other hand, is notable along the
northern and western margin of the
cotton belt. where the boil weevil
infestation is less severe than to
the south. in the lower coastal plain
of the Carolinas. in southern Flori
da aud in Texas. The Increase in
various parts of these regions ranges
from l to 10 per cent. Much of
Minnesota, eastern South Dakota,
and most of Nebraska. also central
and southern California likewise
SNOW al lHcIedSe III utuuUtr u
farms
The decrease in crop acreage wa,
greatest in western Georgia and
southeastern Alabama, southern
Mississippi, western Maryland, PEN
nsvlyania and southern New York,
Michigan and southern Illinois,
western Kentucky. and much of
Missouri. In these regions the de-
crease ranged from 0.5 TO ) per
cent. The decreases in Illinois and
Missouri were largely due to aban-
dOnment Of corn. Decreases in crop
land also characterized most of the
districts west of the Rocky Noun
tains, except Utah, central and
southern California. the Willamette
valley of Oregon, and the Yakima
and Chelan valleys of Washington,
in which an appreciable increase in
crop acreage occurred. In most of
eastern Oregon and Washington the
several districts exceeding 10 per
cent.
Increases in crop land are ind:
Gated by the reports from Massa'
chusetts and from the Atlantic
coastal plain from New JERSEY TO
southern Florida. The northern
margin Of the cotton belt also shows
a notable increase of land in crops
all the way from southern Virginia
to Oklahoma; and in Texas, especial
" western Texas, the increase in
crop acreage has been rapid. Ex-
tension of the crop area during
1924 is notable also in the great
plains region from Montana to
eastern New Mexico, except III
southwestern Wyoming ari south
eastern Colorado. Most of Utah
and of California likewise show an
increase III crop acreage.
Pasture land increased in manv
regions where crop land decreased,
hut not in all such regions in New
England and most of New York and
Pennsylvania, also in all the south
Atlantic states, except in northern
Georgia, pasture acreage increased
slightly, generally less than one
per cent. In southern Georgia and
northern Florida, however. n per
cent increase is indicated for the
wear. One 10 3 per cent increase
in pasture acreage is shown aiso in
southern Mississippi. Arkansas, east
ern Oklahoma and eastern Kansas,
southeastern Illinois, AMI in most
Of Indiana. Ohio and Michigan,
eastern Washington ana California.
\ decrease IN pasture acreage sell
dom exceeding . per cent. however,
is indicated in Tennessee, the Blue
Grass region Of Kentucky, central
Illinois. central Iowa, northern
Michigan and Wisconsin and in
most of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Despite the decline in crop acre
age and utilization of much Of it
for pasture, "A large acreage Of for
est and cut-Over land was cleared
during the year. The acreage clear.
ed was greatest in northern Wiscon-
sin and north central Minnesota,
northern Georgia, central Alabama,
central and northern Mississippi,
eastern Arkansas, and in northeast
ern and north central Texas. Clear
ing was reported from practically
1ll the forested portions of the Unit
ed States. A. considerable acreage
was cleared in Maine, Vermont, cen
tral West Virginia, throughout Ken
lucky, southwestern Indiana, south
eastern Illinois central Tennessee,
and central and southern Missouri.
! 49,. l:4+ln LII o4L.n.