815] Machinery and Production 17 



her of horses per acre of cultivated land was the same in 

 1900 as in 1880. Horses and crop acreage have, there- 

 fore, increased at an equal rate. Either these have in- 

 creased at an extraordinary rate or the third term (male 

 workers), has increased at less than the normal rate. It 

 will be shown farther on (pp. 36-38) that this latter 

 hypothesis is the true one. The increased crop acreage 

 per worker is, therefore, to be looked upon not so much 

 as an expansion of farm holdings as a contraction in the 

 number of workers. 



The average number of acres ! in all farm crops per 

 farm worker 2 (agricultural laborers, farmers, planters, and 

 overseers) male and female as returned by the Cen- 

 suses of 1880, 1890, and 1900 was as follows: 



igoo. 1890. 1880. 



United States 8 27.0 25.9 21.8 



North Atlantic division . . . . 21.3 21.2 21.7 



South Atlantic division .... 13.3 14.2 13.8 



North Central division .... 45.2 40.4 31.9 



South Central division .... 16.5 15.9 14.2 



Western division 39.6 33.7 34.2 



Presented from the basis of a common denominator, 

 the data shown in the foregoing table appear as follows : 



Base. 1880. 1890. 1900. 



United States 21.8= 100 118.7 123.8 



North Atlantic division . 21.7= 100 97.7 98.0 



South Atlantic division . 13.8= 100 102.9 98.6 



North Central division . 31.9= 100 126.6 141.7 



South Central division . 14.2= 100 1x1.9 116.7 



Western division . . .34.2= 100 98.5 115.8 



Such calculations are good as indicating the greater 

 crop area which the average person finds it profitable to 



1 For data of acreage see p. 102. 



2 For total number of workers see p. 99. 



8 In the various tables presented in this essay the term "United 

 States " is used to signify only the five principal geographical divis- 

 ions taken collectively. Data from the Census Reports have been 

 modified, when necessary, to make them conform to such restricted 

 meaning. 



