by the Census is connected with the estimated 1959 acreage including 

 land enrolled in the Program (line A). On close inspection, this line 

 expresses the same rate of change in cropland acreage that was experi- 

 enced between 1944 and 1949. 



The difference between the two cropland observations in 1959 is the 

 5,204 acres enrolled in the Soil Bank. Both observed points thus are re- 

 lated to the 1954 Census acreage by a rate of change in cropland which 

 has been experienced in the last 1^2 decades. This points out how the 

 Program could be considered as 100 percent effective or as 100 percent 

 ineffective as a reducer of cropland employed in farm production. 



However, in making an appraisal of the Program's effect on cropland, 

 it should be remembered that 1,889 acres were enrolled by farmers oper- 

 ating on a commercial basis and 228 acres by fanners operating on less 

 than a commercial basis. Although these independent farm operations might 

 have ceased without the Program, crops produced from the land would 

 have been harvested by an organized unit. In addition, 1,548 acres in un- 

 organized units were rented by dairymen and woodsmen prior to the lands 

 being enrolled in the Program. Most of these acres also would have con- 

 tinued to be harvested even though little or no return was received from 

 them. (Table 4). 



Table 4. Cropland enrolled in Soil Bank, estimated expected usual 

 abandonment and added acreage idled due to the Program by type of unit 



Actual acres Estimated acres Estimated acres 

 enrolled in expected to be attributable, 



Item Soil Bank abandoned Soil Bank 



Part units 76 50 26 



Whole units: 



Organized • — 

 4 or more cows 

 or equivalent 1,889 1,889 



Less than 4 cows 



or equivalent 228 228 



Unorganized units — 

 Rented or under lease 

 before Soil Bank 1,548 100 1,448 



Speculative or woodlot 

 holdings and hay sold 

 or cut for open market .... 1,463 700 763 



Total 5,204 850 4,354 



The largest loss in cropland in lieu of the Program would have been 

 from the 1,463 acres enrolled by owners of unorganized units who did not 

 rent their land to a dairyman or woodsman prior to enrolling it. Owner- 

 ship of these lands varied and the purpose for which they were held 

 varied equally. Many of these land owners had purchased the cropland 

 as parts of units with their primary interest in gaining title to woodlots. 

 Other land owners had purchased land specifically for enrolling it in the 

 Soil Bank Program. Essentially, the hay crop on this land was cut in 



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