TENANCY IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC STATES 499 



sections from 1900 to 19 10, but the decrease was relatively four 

 times as great in the North Atlantic states. They are now pro- 

 ducing a smaller proportion of the breadstuffs of the nation than 

 ever before. In corn acreage the North Atlantic states show for 

 the past decade a decrease of 12.5 per cent; the North Central 

 states show an increase of 1.1 per cent. The movement in the 

 production of oats is similar. With respect to live stock the North 

 Atlantic states show from decade to decade a continually decreas- 

 ing proportion of the live stock of the country. For the census 

 years 1900 and 19 10, respectively, they reported 9.3 per cent and 

 9.1 per cent of the cattle, 9.3 per cent and 8.0 per cent of the 

 horses, 6.9 per cent and 4.4 per cent of the sheep, and 3.7 per 

 cent and 3.8 per cent of the swine. 



There are, however, some important particulars in which the 

 North Atlantic states rank high. The denser population encourages 

 a more intensive type of agriculture, and in dairying, vegetable 

 growing, and fruit growing this section holds an important place. 

 Distinctively dairy farms are relatively more than five times as preva- 

 lent in this section as in the Middle West ; vegetable and fruit 

 farms are three times as prevalent ; and in addition twice as great 

 a proportion are classed as miscellaneous. Owing to the more 

 intensive types of farming and the more careful adaptation of the 

 crop to the particular soil best fitted to its production, the yields per 

 acre in the East compare very favorably with those of the West. 



All the foregoing facts affect the tenancy question. The pre- 

 dominating conditions point to a high percentage of ownership as 

 compared to tenancy. To begin, the value of the land is not, on 

 an average, very high, and in several states it is decidedly low. 

 The percentage of tenancy follows very closely the value of land, 

 tenancy being more prevalent where land is dearer. It is true 

 that exceptions to the rule occur in a few instances in New Eng- 

 land ; but New England is no larger than the state of Michigan, 

 and with so many cities, and with highly specialized types of agri- 

 culture here and there, it is no wonder that local exceptions to the 

 general trend of tenancy should occur. Treating New England as 

 a unit, the rank in value of land and in tenancy for the North 

 Atlantic states correspond exactly, as the following figures show : 



