Evening star., 1934-11-27

minimum of time The resulting sta
tiStics are required at the earliest pos
sible moment in order that agriculture
may be assisted in going ahead with
other industries next year.
Some time between January 2 and
January 81, 1885, every farm in the
United States will be visited by one Of
| the army Of $4,000 enumerators.
For census purposes, farm is all
the land which is directly farmed by
one person, either by his own labor or
with the assistance of members Of his
household, or hired employees. The
land operated by partnership is like
wise considered farm. A farm may
consist of a single tract of land or of
a number of separate tracts, and these
several tracts may be held under diff
ferent tenures, as when one tract is
owned by the farmer and another
tract is rented by him.
When landowner has one or more
tenants, renters, croppers or managers
the land operated by each is consid-
cred farm.
Thus, on plantation the land
operated by each cropper is reported
as a separate farm, and the land op-
| Grated by the owner or managed by
means of wage hands is likewise re-
ported as separate farm. No report
is required of farm Of less than three
acres, unless its products in 1894 were
valued at $3.50 or more.
Enumerators in Area.
who make the canvass will be selected
/, from the rural districts where the
| farms are located In every instance
F, the enumerator must be legal resi-
dent Of his enumeration district and
every effort will be made to appoint
| for these positions, as far as possible.
farmers, farmers wives, sons and
/ daughters. A census test as to quail
| fications. character, standing in the
| community. organization and admins
| trative ability and tact will be required
before any appointment is made.
| Furthermore. each enumerator, as
well as all other census employees, is
sworn to secrecy regarding these re-
ports. The law provides that the in
| dlvidual return made by each farmer
! is absolutely confidential All en-
| ployes are required to know the law
and penalties imposed for disclosure
| of information. want particularly to
/, impress every farmer with the fact
that his report will not be used as a
| basis for taxation nor communicated
to any tax official
The census enumerator will procure,
Erc l,a oft g.
| operator and the owner of the farm,
as well as items showing the farm
] population, movement from cities and
! farm labor; next. the details of the
| farm acreage. which includes crop
land harvested. idle land, crop failure,
I plowable pasture and other grazing
land. woodland and all other, includ-
ing farm waste land.
Acreage and Output.
| Then will follow the acreage and
| production of the principal crops. The
expansion of relatively new crops, such
as soybeans and Japan clover will be
recorded. These crops have been used
widely in the drought area. The meas
ured effect of the drought will be
shown in the changes in yield of crops
and in the amount and extent Of crop
/ failure.
| In addition to the so-called major
! crops. records will be made of the
leading fruits and vegetables. For
apples, cherries, peaches. pears, plums
and prunes. citrus fruits and grapes
| the items will be numbers of trees or
vines of bearing and non-bearing age
! in 1884 and production. For vege-
| tables the acreage of cabbages. toma-
toes. sweet corn and green beans will
be shown. Although the census will
| be somewhat restricted. it is necessary
| to show vegetables because of the very
| marked change in American diet which
| has occurred in the last 20 years, and
because this change Is so accurately
reflected by the statistics just men
| toned.
Among the outstanding changes IL
] the consuming habits Of our people in
| dicated by the past two censuses Of
agriculture is the great increase in the
| amount of certain vegetables used. par
ticularly during the Winter months,
and in the increased use of fruits and
nuts. These changes are due. in part,
to the new dietary information re-
lating to the vitamins. particularly,
and in part. to rapid transportation
| direct from farm. Increases during
the past decade are indicated also in
the consumption Of milk and eggs. both
being important sources of vitaminS
Live Stock to Be Listed.
| An inventory of the principal items
of live stock on farms January l, 1885,
will be taken. These will include horses
and horse colts under years Of age,
mules and mule colts; cattle by age
and sex; sheep, soWs and swine, and
| number of goats. OF the live stock
production items for 1884, milk, butter,
wool and mohair will be included.
New aid will be furnished the milk
and dairy interests in solving one Of
the most difficult agricultural prob
lens Of the day. These figures will
record also the changes that have been
brought about by shipment of milk
cows and beef cattle from the drought
areas and will give us picture of the
readjustments which have been caused
by the unprecedented weather condi-
tions of this year.
The number of chickens and turkeys
on hand the 1st of January, 1885, will
| be recorded. Almost every housewife
! will be interested in these items be-
cause of the effects of the drought
upon poultry numbers and production.
Some, if not all, Of the farmers re-
siding IN an enumeration district will
know the enumerator personally, and
I want to impress them with the fact
that they will do well to see that
an accurate report is returned for their
district With the vast program now
being carried on by the Government
| to assist agriculture. an inaccurate
report might very easily react to the
disadvantage of the farmers in that
particular district When tabulation
is completed, the data gathered will
furnish a detailed statistical picture
Of agriculture.
Many Persons Quit Farms.
For a decade prior to the depression
! about 100000 more people left the
| farms vear1v than arrived on farms