The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1926-06-25

country. In productivity, purcn-
asing power and even in farm
population, this territory ranks
above many of the largest and
almost exclusively rural States.
These are among the conclus-
ions resulting from a survey of
the agricultural resources of New
Jersey and New York as compar-
ed with those of major farming
States of the Middle West. The
survey was made by the Brook
mire Economic Service for The
American Agriculturist, farm
journal circulating mainly in New
Jersey, New York and Pennsyl-
vania.
New Jersey and New York
combined" the director of re-
search reported, constitute rich
farming section with an annual
income greater than that of Ohio,
Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Kansas or Nebraska.
"Only one State east of the
Mississippi River, namely, Illinois
exceeds this territory in farm in
come, and in the whole country
only the four states of Texas,
Iowa, California and Illinois out
rank it. Moreover, the income
per farm is relatively high in this
eastern area, and the percentage
of farms operated by owners is
higher than in any other section"
The Authorities Used.
Sources for this study were
mainly official, such as documents
and compilations from the De-
partment of Commerce and Agri-
culture at Washington, and var
ious State bureaus. United
States Census figures, price in
dexes of the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics of the Department of La
Dor and computations made for
the Joint Commission of Agricul-
tural Inquiry and the National
Industrial Conference Board are
among other authorities.
While farm tenancy appears to
be increasing in some of the
States of the Middle West, New
Jersey and New York show a
steady increase in the percentage
of farmers who own the land they
work. There is higher proper
ton of farm-owning farmers in
New Jersey and New York than
in any of the great mid-Western
agricultural States. In the for
mer the percentage is fraction
more than "a; in the latter be-
tween so and rs per cent.
The report indicates, moreover
that New Jersey and New York
have more farms than any State
further West, with the exception
of Ohio, Illinois and Missouri.
Iowa ~frequently regarded as the
banner farming State of the I'm
ion, has 5000 fewer farms than
New Jersey and New York.
Farms in the two Eastern
States are smaller than in most |
of the Middle Western States. and
the total acreage is less than the
average in the latter States the
report, explains. Farming, how
ever, is more intensified in the
East and the average income per
farm compares favorably with the
best agricultural sections of the
West.
Farm Income Ranks High.
available cash income is the
amount left after deducting taxes,
interest and payments for live
stock and feed crops purchased
from other farmers. 1t, therefore,
represents income available for
purchases of manufactured goods.
In the group of States which are
dominantly agricultural, New Jer-
sey and New York in combination
rank toward the head of the list.
New York alone has a greater
farm income than Indiana, Mis-
souri,, Wisconsin or Nebraska.
New York is third in value of
farm implements, first in number
of tractors bought since 1920,
first in gain in automobile regis
tration during 1925, first in num-
Der of radios on farms, first in
advantage from increased freight
,Sa
"The rapid growth and relative
stability of farm income in New
York" the report continues, SIS
most strikingly revealed by the
index to farm purchasing power.
According to this computation,
which allows for higher taxes and
interest paid and the increase in
the general price level, the aver
age farmer in New Jersey and
New York is from 26 to 40 per
cent. better off than before the
war. The average purchasing
power of farmers throughout the
country is only 10 per cent. above
pre-war, and in the corn belt less
than per cent. above.
lowing to the greater stability
of the dairy industry, which is
the backbone of New Jersey and
New York agriculture, the depres-
sion of 1922 had practically no
effect on farmers in these two
States. This is in striking con-
trast with the corn belt, where
farm purchasing power was cut
in two between 1918 and 1921.
Tax Increase Factor
Zone of the factors which has
contributed to the relative pros
perity of Eastern farmers is the
comparatively small increase in
tax and interest payments. While
these payments in New Jersey