Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-12
FAIRFAX FARMING
RAPIDLY DECLINES
Census Shows $4,000 Acres
Changed to Residential
Property in 10 Years.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
FAIRFAX, Va, July 11.-Fairfax
Countys rapid transition from an agri-
cultural to a suburban section is illus
trated in the tables recently compiled
by the Census Bureau from the 1880
census statistics.
In 1920 there we're 1888 farms in
Fairfax County, which five years later
had increased to 2,367, indicating SUBJ
division of many of the large holdings
into smaller units. In 1880, however
the number of farms was cut almost in
half, only 1924 making returns. OF
these, 1859 were operated by white and
IS by colored persons, as against 2,033
and 220 in 1920.
OF the approximate 266,240 acres in
the county, 464 per cent were in farms
last year OF or l23,626 acres. decrease
from 174,183 acres in 1920. More than
$4,000 acres were changed from farm
to residential property in the 10-year
period. Only 1858 acres of this was
farmed by colored persons. The aver
age size of the farm had increased from
77.3 in 1920 to S9t4 in 1880.
OF the 41,7sz acres in crops in 1929.
statistics show that $4,000 acres were
harvested. 845 acres showed crop fail
44.561 acres In pasture land for dairy
cattle, with 2s,S47 acres in woodland,
not pastured.
Farm Owners Decrease.
There were e65 persons in 1880 who
owned their farms in full, as compared
with 1913 in 1920: 113 part owners, as
compared with 100 in 1920; 26 man
ayers. as compared with At; 40 tenant
farmers, as compared with 304 ten years
previous. The land owned in full COM
prised 86,923 acres in 1890 as compared
with 121,675 in 1920; 9,87l acres were
part owned, 5000 was in the hands OF
managers and 1872 of tenant farmers.
In 1880 there were eight farms Of less
than acres, each reporting, with a
total acreage Of IA acres. as against
seven farms and 10 acres 10 years ago.
There were 129 farms from 3 to 9 acres,
covering total Of 757 acres, as COM
pared with 277 farms and 1918 acres
in 1920. Farms from 10 to 10 acres
numbered 146 in 1880, a decrease from
369 in 1920, the 984 acres being de-
crease from 1855 in 1920. There were
235 farms up to 40 acres in 1890, COW
ering 9,439 acres, compared with 557
farms and 17,745 acres in 1920. The
farms from so to 80 acres decreased to
276 and 19 OCT acres from 487 farms
and 33.790 acres 10 years ago. Farms
from 100 to TIA acres were listed at c27
in 1880 and 311 in 1920, their acreage
decreasing from 39,722 to 29,252 acres.
The number of large farms is also de-
creasing. From ITS to 259 acres there
we're 81 in 1880, as against 1876 in 1920,
the acreage decreasing from 28,158 to
1869 acres There were SO farms from
$50 to 499 acres, as compared with 80
in 1920, the acreage decreasing from
30,238 to 1895. The farms from 500
to 999 acres were practically unchanged
during the 1o-year period, the 16 farms
in 1880 containing 10,462 acres. the
farms in 1880 contained more than
1000 acres. a total of 14,257 acres, as
compared with three farms in 1920,
which contained a total Of $500 acres.
Little Variation Shown.
The total value of land and farm
buildings showed very little variation in
Fairfax County during the 10-year Pc
Rod In 1920 farm land and buildings
were valued at $16.632, 280. In 1880, N
spite of the fact that a section of Fair
fax County had been annexed by
Alexandria and over $4,000 acres had
been withdrawn from farming, farm
land and buildings were valued at $15,-
897,927, indicating a certain rise in
values, due to suburban growth. The
average value Of land and buildings per
farm increased from 1882 in 1920 to
S13583 in 1880. The average value OF
land and buildings per acre increased
from S9549 to $1,000. The value OF
implements and machinery, however,
showed a marked drop, from $S39,05s
in 1920 to $589,830 in 1880.
During the 10 years the value OF
white holdings increased from $780,
149 to $685. 47; that Of colored own
e-e dacraa cod from S633 l31 to 1861 $50