Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1920 — FARMERS SHOULD HELP ON CENSUS [ARTICLE]

FARMERS SHOULD HELP ON CENSUS

Urged by Agricultural Department to Give Full Information. f '■ y • 10 THEIR OWN ADVANTAGE Farmers Asked to Acquaint Themselves With the Requirements and Make-up of the Census Questions— Only the Uninformed Farmer Shies From the Census Enumerator—lnformation Used to Better Agriculture al Conditions. (Prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture.) Tn an advisory capacity, the United States department of agriculture is assisting the bureau of the census In preparations for taking the 1920 census. Because the farmer usually is busy in the early spring and also because the farm herds and flocks are not as replete at this period as at some other season, the date of the I census has been changed to January I L l®2o. instead of April 1. Hence, on January 1 In all sections of the country enumerators will begin the work of visiting ,the 7,000,000 farms peopled by 35,000,000 rural citizens, who comprise practically one-third of the total population of the United States. Farmers over the country are urged by the federal department of agriculture to acquaint themselves as thoroughly as jposslble with the requireaenta and make-up of the census questions. Considerable figuring and accounting must be done by the fanner—although the computations are in no respect as complicated as those essential In figuring his income-tax return — to answer accurately and fully the questions which will be put to him by the enumerator. Many of these questions cover subject matter heretofore not Included. As the statistics obtained from the agricultural census will largely determine the future land policy of the federal government, it Is every farmer’s duty to make individual answers as accurately as possible. Such Information Involves some little study on his part previous to the appearance Of the enumerator. It Is only the uninformed fanner who shies from the census enumerator as though he were an objectionable book agent Others are glad to aid this work of assembling specific facts and figures about all the farming operations and farms of this country, since they are aware that this information Is used directly for the promotion and development of better agricultural conditions throughout the country. Now Questions In Summary.

The agricultural census statistics, are divided into facts covering farm tenure; farm acreage; farm encumbrances; farm values; farm expenses; uses of the land in 1919; drainage crops produced in 1919; live stock maintained, including an enumeration of the various numbers of each dais and grade on every farm; farm facilities, such as tractors, automobiles, trucks and other farm conveniences; co-operative marketing; pure-bred animals maintained; fruits; nuts; and forest products. Information will be secured which will enable the United States department of agriculture to figure up the length of the “agricultural ladder" — how long It takes the young fanner to learn the rudiments of his trade, so that he is able to graduate from the position of hired man to that of cash or share tenant, and later on to change from tenant into owner. Furthermore, the name and address of the owner of each piece of land in the United States will be obtained- This Information will be secured by new questions, such as: How many years, if any, did you work on a fam for wages? How many years have you been, or were you, a tenant? Haw many years have you farmed as an owner? How long have you operated this farm? If you rent all of this farm what do'you pay as rent? If you rent any farm land from Others or manage any farm land for others, give name and address of owner of land. Other new questions in the coming census involve the amount of land from which no crop was harvested this year because of crop failure; crop land lying idle or fallow to 1919; pasture land in each farm. The farmef is also requested to give the total value of his farm January 1, 1920, as well as the value nf all buildings on the fam and the value of implements and macfatoery belonging te the farm. If any exist against the property, he Is asked to specify the total amount of debt on the land on the day the census Is taken, and the rate of interest he pays on this debt Under the head of fam expenses each farmer 1b asked to State the a mount expended to 1919 for hay, grain, min feed, and other products pot raised on the fam which he used as feed for domestic animals and poultry; the amounts of cash expended for BMteVe and fertiliser and for fam labor, exclusive of housework. He also Is to give the estimated value of the house rent and board furnished fam laborers to 1919 to addition to ths cash wages. Information on Unimproved Land. apodal attention is also given te the matter of drainage, particularly with regard to the area of the fahn vririch has been Improved by drainage and whether a drainage or levee district or some form of stock company was or

. •. ’ i.- ' ; .it. i..« via. ! < ■ a»d the gallic wt . ’• r : age only, drainage .n i cie;U!:ig» < <• eteariiig only. The statistics for rhe crop and livestock reports are quite sliullar to those used during previous years, although some minor modifications have been made. There are other new items listed under the caption of farm facilities which Include particulars regarding the number of tractors on the farm, the number of automobiles, motor trucks, whether the farm has a telephone, water system, and gas or electric lights. Information Is also requested as to whether there is a local co-operative marketing club, and fanners are asked to give the value of all farm products sold through or to such organizations in 1919, and also the cost of .supplies purchased through the assistance of such an association. , Complete information is also asked regarding the orchard fruits, subtropical fruits, nuts, small fruits, fruit products, grapes or grape products, and greenhouse and hothouse areas and equipments which ar# produced or which are used on each farm. In order to ascertain the timber and lumber resources of each farm, three forestry questions are asked: The number of acres of merchantable timber, consisting principally of trees of saw-log size; the value of all forest products of the farm at. the date specified which have been sold or are for sale, and the value of all homegrown forest products which have been or will be used on the farm.