Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1911 — GREAT DAYS FOR FARMER SHOWN BY CROP REPORT. [ARTICLE]

GREAT DAYS FOR FARMER SHOWN BY CROP REPORT.

Census Figures Show Farms to Have Almost Doubled In Value During The Past Ten Years. That the farmers of Indiana have reached their halcyon days is indicated by figures given out by the Census Bureau, based upon the census of 1910. These figures tell a remarkable story of increased values of farm property in Indiana, based upon enlarged profits of the farming industry. The summary sets forth the comparative statistics for both 1910 and 1900 on the following points of interest to the farming population: The total value of farm land, buildings, implements and machinery; total acreage; improved acreage; average acres to the farm; average value an acre of farm land and buildings; average value an acre of farm land alone; the aggregate expenditures for labor and fertilizers. It also distributes the total number of farms according to color of farmer; specified character of tenure; whether held free or mortgaged by owners, etc. The following deductions from the census figures tell ans amazing story of increases of values and general developement of the farming industry in Indiana during the last decade: The average value per acre of farm land and buildings in 1910 is stated as $75, as against $39 in 1900, a rise of $36, or 92 per cent. The average value per acre of farm land alone in 1910 was reported as $62, while in 1900 it was $32, the amount of gain being S3O, or 94 per cent. Of the whole number, 214,741, of farms reported in 1910 there were 213,937 operated by white farmers and 804 by colored farmers, as compared with a total of 221,897 in 1900, of which 220,835 were conducted by white farmers and 1,062 by colored. The decrease in the number of farms by white farmers during the decade amounted to 6,898 or 3 per cent, and in the colored, 258, or 24 per cent. The total number of farms operated in 1910 by owners, part owners and owners and tenants, comprising the “all owners” class, was 148,001, as compared with 156,227 in 1900, a decrease of 8,226, or 5 per cent. The total number conducted in 1910 by cash tenants, share tenants, and cash and share tenants, comprising the “all tenants” class, was 64,451, as against 63,448 in 1900, a gain of 1,003, or 2 per cent. The total number of farms operated by managers in 1910 was 2,289, as compared with 2,222 in 1900. a gain of 67, or 3 per cent The total value of farm land and buildings was given in 1910 as $1,590, 225,000, as against $841,735,000 in 1900 an increase of $748,490,000, or 89 per cent. The total value of the farm land alone was reported in 1910 as $1,325,-

475,000, as compared with $687,633,000 in 1900, a gain of $637,842,000, or 93 per cent. The total of farm buildings alone was given in 1910 as $264,750,000, as against $154,102,000 in 1900, an increase of $110,648,000, or 72 per cent In 1910 the value of the farm land alone constituted 83 per cent of the total value of land ajid buildings, as compared with 81 per cent in 1900. The reported value of farm implements and machinery was $40,880,000 in 1910, as against $27,330,000 in 1900/ a gain of $13,550,000, or 50 per cent. The total acreage reported in 1910 was 21,264,000 acres, as compared with 21,620,000 in 1900, a decrease of 356,000 acres, or 3 per cent. The improved acreage was returned in 1910 as amounting to 16,903,000 acres, as against 16,680,000 in 1900, an increase of 223,000 acres, or 1 per cent In 1910 the improved acreage formed 80 per cent of the total acreage, as against 77 per cent in 1900. The average acres to the farm reported in 1910 was 99, as compared with 97 in 1900, a gain of 2 acres or 2 per cent. The total number of farms operated by “all owners” class in 1910 formed 69 per cent of the whole number of farms, as against 70 per cent in 1900; those conducted by the “all tenants” class in 1910 constituted 30 per cent, as against 29 per cent in 1900; and the number operated by managers made but 1 per cent in both 1910 and 1900. Of the total number, 148,001, of farms operated in 1910 by the “all owners” class, there were 91,213, or 62 per cent owned, free of incumberance, and 56,788, or 38 ‘per cent mortgaged. The largest per cent of decrease in 1910 was in the 1,000-acre group, 38 per cent; next, in the twenty to forty-nine-acre group, 15 per cent; in the 500 to 999-acre group, 13 per cent, and in the fity to ninety-nine-acre group, 5 per cent The largest per cent of increase in 1910 was In the nineteen apres and under group, 5 per cent; next in the 100 to 174 acres group, 4 per cent, and in the 175 to 499 acres group, 2 per cent Of the whole* number of farms in 1910 those of nineteen acres and under formed 11 per cent; twenty to fortynine acres, 19 per cent; fifty to ninetynine acres, 31 per cent; 100 to 174 acres, 26 per cent; 175 to 499 acres, 12 per cent; 500 to 999 acres, .4 per cent, and those of 1,000 acres and over, .07 per cent. The expenditures for labor in 1910 reached the sum of $17,903,000, as' compared with $9,686,000 in 1900, an increase of $8,217,000, or 85 per cent. The expenditure for fertilizers in 1910 was $2,181,000, while in 1900 it was $1,554,000, a gain of $627,000, or 40 per cent. ■ ■■ - "" ""