2 BULLETIN 677, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
The total land area of this region is 2,833,840 acres. The United 
State Census for 1910 shows that 1,311,244 acres are included in farms 
and that 880,755 acres are classed as improved farm lands.* 
CLIMATE. 
The climatic conditions which prevail in this region are sum- - 
marized by the Weather Bureau in “Summary of Climatological 
Data, Section 99—The Southern Interior and Sea Coast of New 
Jersey.” This summary shows that precipitation during the grow- 
ing season is adequate for the production of normal crops and that 
the interval between killing frosts in spring and fall is normally 
sufficient to mature all of the general farm crops and the majority 
of the vegetables and fruits. The climatological tables also indicate 
that the conditions prevailing over the region are so uniform that 
no locality or section is especially favored over others. The more 
important climatic facts are summarized in the chart, figure 1. It 
would appear from this chart that, so far as climatic conditions are 
concerned, agriculture might be uniformly developed over the entire 
region. 
MARKETS. 
It will be seen from the chart, figure 2, that the entire region 
is favorably located with respect to the metropolitan district of 
New York, which, in 1910, possessed a total population of 6,630,559 
and to the metropolitan district of Philadelphia, which possessed a 
population of 2,015,560 at that time. The extreme distance from 
the most remote point in southern New Jersey to New York City 
is a little less than 130 miles, and it is less than 75 miles to Philadel- 
phia. Railroad communication is unusually well developed and a 
good system of highways tends to place all portions of the region 
in easy communication with the great market centers. 
AGRICULTURAL POPULATION. 
Southern New Jersey was originally settled about 275 years ago 
by agricultural peoples from the various countries of northern 
Europe. During the intervening period agriculture has been de- 
veloped along lines suited to the broader local needs and to meet 
the specific requirements of the separate localities. Owing to the 
existence of great near-by markets agriculture has experienced 
a notable degree of specialization to meet market demands, and 
experience has generally developed the use to which the different 
soils of the region may best be put under the existing conditions 
of demand for farm products. 
1U. S. Census, 1910, vol. V, Agriculture, p. 740, 
