238 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



There were 893,370 negro farm operators in 1910, and 5,440,619 

 white farm operators, the negro operators forming 14 per cent of the 

 total number, a considerably greater proportion than the proportion 

 of the negro population to the total population of the United States, 

 which was 10.7 per cent. The number of negro farm operators 

 increased 19.6 per cent between 1000 and 1910, while the number of 

 white farm operators increased 9 . 5 per cent. 



The total acreage of farms operated by negroes was 42,279,510 

 in 1910, the average per farm being 47.3 acres, as compared with an 

 average of 153 for the farms operated by whites. The average 

 improved acreage of negro farms was 31 . 2, as compared with 82 . 6 for 

 farms operated by whites. 



The total value of farm property operated by negroes in 1910 was 

 $1,141,792,526; in 1900 the same item was $499,941,234, so that there 

 was an increase of 1 28 . 4 per cent during the decade, while the value of 

 farm property operated by whites increased 99 . 6 per cent. The value 

 of implements and machinery on farms operated by negroes increased 

 81 . 2 per cent during the ten years 1900-1910, the value of live stock 

 increased 117.7 P er cent, the value of buildings 131.6 per cent, and 

 that of land 133 . 2 per cent. The difference in the rate of growth 

 between farms operated by negroes and by whites is greatest when 

 value of live stock is considered, the rate of increase being only 58. 6 

 per cent on farms operated by whites, as compared with 117.7 P er 

 cent on those operated by negroes. 



The average value of farms operated by negroes in 1910 was 

 $1,280.75, as compared with an average of $669.52 for 1900, and of 

 $7,299. 21 for farms operated by whites in 1910; the average value of 

 farm property per acre was $27.01 on farms operated by negroes in 

 1910, as compared with $13 . 08 for 1900, and $47 . 72 for farms operated 

 by whites in 1910. 



Of the 678,118 colored farm tenants, more than one-half, 373,551, 

 were share tenants; 14,623 were share-cash tenants; 264,443 were 

 cash tenants; and for 25,501 the nature of tenancy was not reported. 

 The number of colored share and share-cash tenants combined 

 increased 36.3 per cent between 1900 and 1910, while the number of 

 colored cash tenants and unclassified tenants combined increased 5 . 6 

 per cent. It is fair to say, therefore, that share tenancy is the pre- 

 dominant form of Agricultural tenancy for colored farmers and appar- 

 ently its nunuTual importune r is increasing. 



