THE IRKIGATION AGE. 



1055 



Perhaps one reason for the increased 

 Slow Increase cost of living in recent years may he 

 in Number of found in the fact, that the number of 

 Farms During farms in the United states have by no 

 Last Decade. means increased as fast as the popula- 

 tion. This fact is disclosed by an ad- 

 vance statement of the census statistics recently issued 

 by Census Director Durand. It appears that during the 

 period 1900-1910, the population of the United States in- 

 creased 21 per cent, while the number of farms grew from 

 5,737,372 in 1900. to 0,340,357 in 1910, an increase of 602,985, 

 which is 10.5 per cent or just one half of that of the 

 increase in population. This is the smallest increase re- 

 corded ever since the government included farm statistics 

 into its census returns. 



The small increase in the number of farms is by no 

 means compensated by any growth in the size of farm 

 area, or by an increase in acreage under cultivation. As a 

 matter of fact, the average size of farms has decreased from 

 140 acres in 1900 to 138 acres in 1910, so that the actual 

 area in farms in 1900 was 838,592,000 acres and in 1910 

 only 873, 72!), 000, which is an increase of 35,173,000 acres or 

 4.2 per cent. 



The acreage of improved land however increased at 

 a more favorable rate, the advance being from 414,499,000 

 acres in 1900, to 477,448,000 acres in 1910, a gain of 62,- 

 949,000 acres or 15.2 per cent in 10 years. Still the in- 

 crease is only about two-thirds of the increase in popula- 

 tion, showing that there is a deficiency in the acreage pro- 

 ducing crops for the support of our population. 



As a contrast to the slow growth of the farms, the 

 increase in farm values is something tremendous; farm 

 land, exclusive of buildings in 1900 were valued at $13,058,- 

 008,000, while in 1910 they were valued at $28,386,7TO,000, 

 which is an increase of 117.4 per cent, or the value has 

 more than doubled. Thus the average value per acre has 

 increased from $15.57 to $32.49, which is a gain of $10.92 

 per acre. 



There are many reasons why farm lands should show 

 a marked increase in value. To begin with in 1900, the 

 average valuation of farm land was undoubtedly taken 

 too low and a heavy increase should naturally be looked 

 for. Then the gradually increasing prices of farm prod- 

 ucts would enhance the value of the land since the in- 

 come derived from an investment in farming land would 

 show an increasing rate of earning capacity. Then actual 

 improvements such as the irrigation of dry lands, the 

 drainage of swamps, the tiling and surface drains for wet 

 lands, the clearing of land, removing brush, stumps 

 and stones, the building of fences have all tended to raise 

 the value of the land, so that the value as given in the 

 census report is probably near the actual values. 



Another interesting fact is disclosed by the census 

 and this is that in 1900 the city population formed 40.5 

 per cent of the total population of the country; in 1910 

 this has raised to 46.3 per cent, indicating that nearly half 

 of the population of the United States is living in cities and 

 towns, pursuing other than agricultural vocations. 



This presages that there will be ere long, another exo- 

 dus from the city to the country, from the factory to the 

 farm, as the balance of population must adjust itselt 

 sooner or later to a more adaptable proportion since it 

 looks absurd that one half of the people should be 

 crowded into towns while the other half would reap big fin 

 ancial returns from raising and selling crops to feed their 

 city cousins. A ratio of two to one, that is, have a rural 



population twice as large as the urban population, would 

 prove a blessing all around, would benefit the country, as 

 well as the cities. The ''Back to the Farm" slogan should 

 be encouraged. 



After all the crop reports are in and 

 Thoughts analyzed it is seen that the returns have 



That not been so bad after all and that it 



Come might have been much worse. 



and Go. * * * 



It must be something of a satisfaction that 

 much of the shortage in potatoes this year will be re- 

 lieved by the crop grown on irrigated lands, bringing fi- 

 nancial returns to the irrigator and good potatoes to the 

 dwellers in the east and middle west. 



* * * 



The irrigator has shown again the "rain farmer" that 

 rain is all right when it comes at the right time, but water 

 in the ditch is more reliable. 



* * * 



This issue contains a condensed statement of the irri- 

 gation statistics of the states of North Dakota, South Da- 

 kota, Arizona and Washington. The information given 

 has been gathered by the government as part of the Fed- 

 eral census and is therefore entirely reliable. 



* * * 



Don t overlook the date when you should renew your 

 subscription to IRRIGATION AGE. The date is plainly 

 marked on the cover in which the paper is mailed to you. 



* * * 



The Primer of Hydraulics will be ready about Janu- 

 ary 1, 1912. Send in your order now as you renew your 

 subscription to the IRRIGATION AGE by sending $3.00, thus 

 saving fifty cents. 



* * * 



The Missouri College of Agriculture is moving in the 

 right direction by offering courses in agriculture to women. 

 By educating both the man and woman for this noble 

 .ailing, success ought to he certain. 



* * * 



Another land drawing in South Dakota is scheduled for 

 October 24, the registrations beginning October 2, and 

 closing October 21. Land is getting scarcer all the time 

 and there will be heavy competition. 



* * * 



A description of Mount McKinley apears elsewhere in 

 this issue and it may be inferred by the report of Mr. 

 "Brooks, who made a survey of the mountain, that it would 

 lie a very difficult task to climb to the summit of this 

 Alaskan giant, towering 20,300 feet above the ocean. 



* * * 



The Primer of Irrigation and the Primer of Hydraulics, 

 both cloth bound, can be had for $3.50, by sending to the 

 IRRIGATION AGE. These two books cover practically all 

 the irrigator needs to know about the scientific part of his 



work. 



* * * 



The Primer of Hydraulics will be ready for distribu- 

 tion about January 1, 1912; single copies cloth bound, $2.50, 

 with one year's subscription to IRRIGATION AGE, $3.00 : one 

 copy of each of Primer of Hydraulics and Primer of Irriga- 

 tion with one year's subscription to the IRRIGATION AGE for 

 $4.00. Send all remittances to IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago. 



