Fewer Farms

The Bureau of the Census made public the first figures of the farm census taken this year. It showed that whereas there were 6,448,373 farms' being operated in the U. S. in 1920, there are only 6,3726,09 farms in 1925--a decrease of 75,735.

The causes in the decrease in the number of farms are listed as: 1) ravages of the boll weevil, 2) migration northward of southern Negroes, 3) a series of dry seasons in part of the Northwest, 4) the consolidation of farms into larger units, 5) abandonment of farms because of adverse price conditions. The states showing chief decreases:

STATE DECREASE

Georgia 61,634

South Carolina 19,931

Alabama 18,520

Mississippi 14,868

Kentucky 12,115

Ohio 11,988

Illinois 11,536

Montana 10,623

In some districts, however, there were gains in the number of farms. These came about principally from the opening: of new farms in the west, subdivision of ranches and large farms into smaller farms or poultry and truck farms or orchards near cities. The chief states showing increases:

STATE INCREASE

Texas 30,387

California 18,743

North Carolina 13,732

* A farm is officially defined as "all the land which is directly farmed by one porson either by his own labor alone, or with the assistance of members of his household or hired employees." Each piece of land cultivated by a tenant cropper or manager is rated as a farm.