AGRICULTURAL WAGES 807 



In the North Central States there is no decisive tendency with 

 regard to the relative number of farms containing less than 50 acres, 

 but the decline in the relative number of farms containing 50 and 

 under 100 acres is marked; and there is an increase in the relative 

 number of farms containing 100 acres and over. 



It appears that in the South Atlantic States the number of farms 

 containing less than 50 acres relatively increased steadily from 1880 

 to 1910, and the same is true of the class of farms containing 50 and 

 under 100 acres. The contrary tendency is also observable for classes 

 containing 100 acres and over. 



Relative increase in the number of farms containing less than 100 

 acres is observable in the South Central division of states with a 

 steady contrary tendency in the case of farms containing 100 acres 

 and more. The two southern divisions of states are characterized 

 by the same tendencies. 



In the average for the United States, the increase in the relative 

 number of farms containing less than 50 acres, during the thirty years 

 covered by the census, is fairly established. On the contrary, farms 

 containing 50 and under 100 acres have declined in relative impor- 

 tance. There was an increase of relative importance in farms con- 

 taining 100 and under 500 acres from 1880 to 1890, after which there 

 was a decline. The very large farms appear to be slightly increasing 

 in relative importance, but these farms are hardly 3 per cent of the 

 total number. On the other hand, the very small farms, or those 

 containing less than 50 acres, are increasing in importance and now 

 comprise more than one-third of the nation's farms. The intermediate 

 farms, or those containing 50 and under 500 acres, have declined in 

 relative number. 



It is interesting to turn to the great agricultural region in the 

 North Central States. Improved area of farms in those states gained 

 in average area from 80.59 acres in 1880 to 101.21 acres in 1900, 

 but the average number of agricultural workers per farm remained 

 about the same, while the average number of acres per agricultural 

 worker increased from 50.4 acres in 1880 to 59.8 acres in 1890 and 

 63.9 acres in 1900. 



Increase of improved acreage per worker is observable also in the 

 South Central division from 1880 to 1890. There was an increase 

 also in the South Atlantic division from 1880 to 1890, followed by a 

 contrary tendency. In the North Atlantic and Western divisions 

 there has been a marked tendency toward a smaller acreage per worker. 



