AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE 

 UNITED STATES, 1900-1910 



By J. L. Coulter 



From the Quarterly Journal of Economics^ Vol. XXVII, No, r, 

 November, 191 2) 



ONE of the most remarkable changes which took place in the 

 United States during the nineteenth century was the ex- 

 traordinary expansion of agriculture. An entire continent was 

 seized, the former inhabitants were dispossessed, and the land 

 was divided among a new people and brought into general use. 

 It seems impossible that this should have been accomplished in so 

 short a time, and that it was accomplished will be set down as one 

 of the marvels of all time. It is not my purpose, however, to dwell 

 at length upon the extent of the movements of the last century, 

 nor is it my purpose to go into detail with respect to the rapid- 

 ity with which the changes took place. Inasmuch as the changes 

 of the nineteenth century have already been presented to the pub- 

 lic in many forms and are probably better known than those of the 

 twentieth century, I propose to give most attention to the agricul- 

 tural development of the first decade of the twentieth century. 



Suffice it to say in opening that the very rapid movement 

 looking toward the extension or expansion of agriculture into all 

 parts of the country during the last century came almost to a 

 standstill with the close of the century. The area available for 

 agricultural purposes was very largely occupied between 1800 and 

 1900. It is true that there is still a large amount of land which 

 must be made available, and the agricultural industry will continue 

 to expand. Land now thought unavailable for agriculture will 

 soon be found to be available or will be made so. Water will be 

 drained from the land where there is too much, and carried to the 



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