48 American Economic Association [846 



of farming operations subject to the influence of ma- 

 chinery, as will clearly appear upon a comparison of 

 the data in the table last above given with those of the 

 following table showing the average number of acres 

 of improved land, per farm, 1850-1900, inclusive. 1 



United States 

 N. Atl. div. . 

 S. Atl. div. . 

 N. Cent. div. 

 S. Cent. div. . 

 Western div. . 



By this table it appears, that the lowest average 

 number of acres of improved land per farm, for the 

 United States, as a whole, was reached in 1870; that 

 this average was the same in 1880; and that while it 

 rose somewhat in 1890, it fell again in 1900 almost to 

 the level for 1870 and 1880. Turning to the several 

 divisions we find that, with but one exception, the 

 movement toward smaller farms continues and is ap- 

 parent in the returns for 1900. The one exception is, 

 however, all important in this discussion for it is the 

 North Central division, the one above all others de- 

 voted to the use of farm machinery, and in this di- 

 vision it is shown, not only for the period from 1880 

 but for the whole period from 1850 to 1900, that there 

 has been a strong and unvarying increase in the aver- 

 age number of acres of improved land per farm, rising 

 from an average of 61.0 acres in 1850 to 101.2 acres in 

 1900. 



The average number of acres in crops is a still better 

 index to the extent of farming operations. Unfortu- 

 nately, this average cannot be given for the whole of 

 the period from 1850 to 1900; but for the more im~ 



1 Twelfth Census, Agriculture I, p. xxii. 



