TENANCY IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC STATES 



By Benjamin H. Hibbard 



(From the Quarterly Journal of Economics^ Vol. XXVI, p. 105, 

 November, 191 1) 



THE North Atlantic states, nine in number, consist of the six 

 New England States, together with New York, Pennsylvania, 

 and New Jersey. In area they are but little more than one-fifth 

 as large as the North Central group, while in the acreage of farm 

 land the proportion is below one-fifth, and in improved land but 

 one-seventh. The North Atlantic states have less than one-third 

 as many farms as the North Central states. The East is character- 

 ized by a hilly, broken surface and comparatively thin soil, in 

 contrast to the great level or rolling stretches with the deep soil 

 of the Middle West. The difference in topography, and the 

 poorer quality of soil, judged from the standpoint of grain pro- 

 duction, help to determine the size of the farm, which in the 

 North Atlantic states averages 96 acres and in the North Central 

 group, 155 acres. During the past decade this difference has in- 

 creased, the average size of farms of the former group growing 

 smaller by one acre, and that of the latter group larger by 13 

 acres. At the same time the number of farms in the Eastern 

 group decreased 3,5 per cent, while that in the Middle Western 

 increased 1.4 per cent. 



In value the Eastern farms increased during the past ten years 

 31.9 per cent, the Middle Western, 11 3.8 per cent. At present 

 the land alone in the North Central states is valued at about the 

 same figure as land and buildings in the North Atlantic states, the 

 values being, respectively, 1^49.30 and $49.95. In the production 

 of cereals and live stock the Eastern group shows not only a small 

 production but one lessening, as compared to the Middle West. 

 For example, there was a decrease in the wheat acreage of both 



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