PEODUCTIOlSr AND COISTSUMPTION OF DAIRY PEODUCTS. 3 



various geographic divisions in the production of cheese, but these are 

 more easily comprehended by a study of the percentages in Table 3 than 

 by a study of the figures showing production in pounds, as in Table 1. 



CHANGES SINCE 1870. 



If 1870 is taken as 100, and figures for other census years are 

 expressed as percentages of the corresponding figures for 1870, the 

 changes in the various geographic divisions for the different items 

 mentioned above can be readily comprehended. For the United 

 States, as a whole, the percentage or "index number" for 1910 for 

 improved land is shghtly greater than the index numbers for popu- 

 lation and for dairy cows. This condition is true for practically 

 aU the census years shown for the United States as a whole; but 

 when geographic divisions are considered individually the increase 

 for those east of the Mississippi has not been as rapid as the increase 

 for those west of that river, due primarily to the undeveloped condi- 

 tion of the West prior to 1870 and to its great development since. 



There was less improved land in the New England States in 1910 

 than there was in 1870, while in the Middle Atlantic States the areas 

 of improved farm land in 1870 and 1910 were approximately the same. 

 The increase in dairy cows in the 40 year* was slight in the New 

 England and the Middle Atlantic States, yet the increase in the total 

 population ui the New England States was about 90 per cent, and 

 in the Middle Atlantic nearly 120 per cent. When the increase in 

 butter and cheese production in the New England and Middle At- 

 lantic States is compared with the increase in total population, the 

 population shows the more rapid advance. In other words, neither 

 agnculture in general nor the dairy industry has kept up with the 

 increase in population in these two geographic divisions. 



"When similar comparisons are made for the North Central States 

 east of the Mississippi River, the increase in improved land is not as 

 large as the increase in population, yet the increase in dairy cows and 

 in dairy products has excelled the increase in population. 



In the South Atlantic, East South Central, and Pacific States 

 the population has increased faster than the improved land in the 

 40 years under consideration, and the same is true of the dairy cows, 

 except in the East South Central States; yet increase in butter 

 productifjn was greater in all three of the geographic divisions than 

 that for the population. Other changes can readily be noted in 

 Table 2. 



