.TENANCY IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC STATES 507 



every one of the nine states of the North Atlantic division shows 

 a positive, though not great, gain in ownership, and corresponding 

 decHne in tenancy. Nearly three farms in every hundred passed 

 over from the one class to the other. This amounts to a decrease 

 of 16 per cent in the number of farms operated by tenants, in the 

 face of an increase of 16 per cent in the number so operated for 

 the country as a whole. In 1900 the rate of tenancy in the North 

 Atlantic states was nearly 60 per cent of that for the United 

 States ; now it is less than 50 per cent. It cannot be an accident 

 that has brought about such a striking change in the tenancy aspect 

 of the Eastern states, including as a matter of fact, in addition to 

 the North Atlantic group, four more states immediately to the 

 south. Neither is this decline in tenancy, a symptom of declining 

 agriculture ; for these states, notwithstanding a falling off in cer- 

 tain particulars, all things counted, make a good showing. 



The low proportion of tenancy in the North Atlantic states is 

 the result of a combination of causes. The most important of 

 these are, first, the low price of land per acre ; second, a set of 

 circumstances resulting in comparatively small farms, these two 

 facts combining to give a low value to the farm as a unit ; third, 

 the relatively small amount of farming such as lends itself easily 

 to a system of tenancy, and in its stead a type requiring owner- 

 ship of the land in order to insure good results. That there are 

 other factors involved cannot be doubted ; but these statistics seem 

 to indicate which are the decisive factors. 



PER CENT OF TENANCY, 1880-1910 



1900 



North Atlantic States 



Maine 



New Hampshire . . 



Vermont 



Massachusetts . . . 

 Rhode Island . . . 

 Connecticut . . . . 



New York 



New Jersey . . . . 

 Pennsylvania . . . . 



18.1 



4-3 



6.9 

 12.3 



8.1 

 18.0 



9.8 

 20.8 

 24.8 

 22.9 



20.8 

 47 



7-5 

 14.6 



9.6 

 20.1 

 12.9 



239 

 29.9 

 26.0 



18.4 



5-4 



8.0 



14.6 



9-3 

 18.7 



"5 

 20.2 

 27.2 

 233 



16.0 



4-3 

 8.1 



134 

 8.2 

 19.9 

 10.2 

 16.5 

 24.6 

 21.2 



