554 a:n^kual eeports of department of agriculture. 



Land economics. — Substantial progress has been made in the tabu- 

 lation of data from about 100,000 farms Avith reference to the relation 

 of cash rents to farm values, and of data from some 150,000 farms 

 bearing on the question of ownership, extent of absentee ownership, 

 etc. Of special significance at this time is the work that is being done 

 under the direction of the committee on land utilization, which heads 

 up in the section of land economics. This work looks to an estimate 

 of the probable future land needs of the United States, and to a 

 classification of all farm lands. 



Studies of farm ownership in the Black Prairie of Texas (Dept. 

 Bui. 1068) ; of the relation of land tenure to the use of arid grazing 

 land in the Southwestern States (Dept. Bui. 1001) ; of harvest labor 

 problems in the Wheat Belt (Dept. Bui. 1020) ; of farm lands avail- 

 able for settlement and of renting dairy farms (in Government 

 Printing Office) have been completed. 



Among studies in progress may be mentioned the following : 



Systems of farm management and hind tenure on southern plantations. 



A study of Massachusetts farm labor in 1921. 



Farm land capitalization. 



Part owners as farmers. 



Purchasing a farm. 



How landowners fare on a group of Lake Agassiz Basin farms. 



Farm ftrmncial relations. — During the year the section of farm 

 financial relations has paid particular attention to certain phases 

 of rural credits and to problems of crop insurance. Special studies 

 as follows have been completed: 



A study of cooperative short-time credit through local credit associations in 

 the United States, with special reference to associations of this kind organized 

 and operated in rural connnunities. (Department Circular 197.) 



A study of farm-mortgage credit by banks, insurance companies, Federal 

 and joint stock land banks. State funds, and mortgage companies, covering 

 rates, term, method of repayment, etc. (Dept. Bui. 1047.) 



A study of short-time bank loans to farmers, covering amount of such loans. 

 seasonal fluctuations in amount, rates of inlerest. special requirements affecting 

 costs of loans, nature of securitv for such loans, term of loans, etc. (Dept. 

 Bui. 1048.) 



A study of the problems of general ci'op ir.surance in the United States cover- 

 ing risks involved, experiments already made, and fundamental principles be- 

 lieved to underlie sound insurance for the grower of crops. (Dept. Bui. 104.3.) 



A study of the problem of adequate communication in country districts by 

 means of the rural telephone. This study covers the development of telephone 

 systems in rural districts, methods of obtaining telephone service with special 

 attention given to methods of organizing and financing local companies where 

 satisfactory service by the extension of existing companies is not available, cost 

 of rural telephone service, and problems of operation and upkeep of rural lines. 

 (Submitted for publication.) 



Advice and assistance have been given a number of local farmers' 

 mutual insurance companies in reorganizing and improving their 

 method of business. 



A special survey of credit and insurance conditions among farmers 

 in selected areas in North Carolina is in progress, as is also a special 

 study of mortagage indebtedness on farms operated by tenants and 

 managers. 



Agricultural geography. — The research in agricultural geography 

 during the year has been devoted very largely to the compilation, 

 mapping, and analysis of the returns of the i920 Census of Agri- 

 culture. 



