256 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



are much more fertile and more adapted to the cultivation of the 

 staples than the soils of the other regions, yet there is a smaller average 

 yield per acre in the Black Belt. The reduced acreage of the Black 

 Belt is due to the decline of rural population, as will be shown herein 

 later, and not to turning the lands into other forms of agriculture. 

 They are idle and vacant, turned in many instances into grass fields. 

 In the White Counties, the increase is due to increase of rural popula- 

 tion and to opening up new lands. 



An analysis of the two groups of counties locates more definitely 

 the causes of the smaller average yield per acre of the Black Belt. 

 In the counties of the Black % Belt in which the negro constitutes 62 J 

 per cent of the population, the average yield of cotton per acre is o . 26 

 of a bale and 10. 5 bushels of corn per acre; in those counties in which 

 the negro constitutes from 50 to 62^ per cent of the population, the 

 average yield of cotton per acre is 0.30 of a bale and 10 bushels of 

 corn per acre. In the group of White Counties where the negro con- 

 stitutes 37 J to 50 per cent of the population, the yield per acre of 

 cotton is 0.34 of a bale and 11.4 bushels of corn; in the counties 

 where the negro constitutes 10 to 37^ per cent of the population, the 

 yield of cotton per acre is 0.35 of a bale and 11.5 bushels of corn per 

 acre. These results are significant, for the negro in increasing 

 majorities is found on the best soils of the state. 



Scientific farming includes within its program not only actual 

 agricultural results, but the whole life of the farm: improvement of 

 soils, adequate farm buildings, new and modern implements and 

 machinery. In the Black Belt the value of lands and buildings 

 increased 88 per cent between 1900 and 1910 and the value of imple- 

 ments and machinery increased 69 per cent. In the White Counties 

 the percentage of difference in the same items for the same period of 

 time was: land and buildings, 150, buildings alone, 133, implements 

 and machinery, 113 a percentage of difference in each item twice 

 as great as in the Black Belt. 



An analysis of the two groups of counties as to the above items 

 also reveals striking results. In the counties of the Black Belt where 

 the negro constitutes 62 \ per cent of the population the improvements 

 between 1000 and 1910 were: land and buildings, 75, buildings alone, 

 68, implements and machinery, 54; in the counties where the negro 

 constitutes 50 to 62 \ per cent of the population: land and buildings, 

 108, buildings alone, 107, implements and machinery, 93. In the 

 White Counties where the negro constitutes 37! to 50 per cent of the 



