20 ECONOMICS OF LAND TENURE IN GEORGIA [ 20 



found a situation far from ideal. There were not 130,- 

 000 landholders owning, occupying and cultivating 130,- 

 000 lots of land averaging in size one hundred and 

 seventy-five acres. Instead the situation was about as 

 follows, in part good and in part bad: 



1. A very considerable body of newly-created land- 

 owners. 



2. The continued existence of many landless persons. 



3. The increased holdings of many who already held 

 land. 



4. Reverted lands at the disposal of the state. 



5. A condition favorable to the further enlargement of 

 the holdings of those skilful in the management of their 

 affairs. 



It is impossible to obtain figures that would indicate 

 even approximately the extent to which land tended to 

 be massed in large holdings before the war. 1 The United 

 States census for i860 attempted to give figures bearing 

 on the number and size of farms in the state, and this is 

 the best available source of information on the subject. 

 These returns, classified according to the acreage of im- 

 proved land, in the farms, are as follows : 2 



Total number of farms 53,897 



3 and under 10 acres 906 



10 to 20 2,803 



20 to 50 13,644 



50 to 100 14,129 



100 to 500 18,821 



500 to 1000 2,692 



1000 acres and over 902 



1 The county tax digests kept at the state capitol did not come safely 

 through the war. The information might be abstracted from them if 

 they were available. 



1 Eighth Census (i860), Agriculture, p. 196. 



