Farms operated by share tenants had the largest per cent of
improved land. Share tenancy, therefore, is peculiarly favor- able to farms that are mostly under cultivation, farms that grow such crops as hay and grain, from which the produce can easily be divided between owner and tenant at harvest. Farms rented for cash, in the Western Division, California, and Washington had less than an average per cent of improved land as compared with all the farms of each of the geographi- cal divisions. They were not, to a large extent, at least, stock ranches, because they were smaller than the average size farm ; but, as would naturally be expected, those used for diversified farming, which contained, in many instances, much waste or uncultivated land. Dairy and fruit farms, and all farms that do not admit of easy division of their produce, almost inevit- ably rent for cash. As farms operated by owners are of all kinds, their percentage of improved land is nearly average. By far the smallest per cent of land was improved in the farms conducted by managers, making it quite evident that stock- raising was the principal farm industry handled by this class of farmers. The exceptional large size of these farms is in direct accordance with this statement. The figures showing the actual average area of farms operated by managers in comparison with farms of average area are amazing.
TABLE 4.
AVERAGE AREA IN ACRES OF ALL FARMS AND OF FARMS OPERATED BY MANAGERS IN THE UNITED STATES, WESTERN DIVISION, CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, AND OREGON, IN 1900. ([1])
| Classes. | United States. | Western Division. | California, | Washington. | Oregon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Farms | 147.4 | 393.5 | 403.5 | 258.0 | 283.1 |
| Manager | 1514.3 | 3303.9 | 2152.5 | 922.2 | 2228.3 |
These figures are so large as almost to lead us to question their truth, but they need no further explanation than has
already been given.----
- ↑ U. S. Census Reports for 1900, Twelfth Census, Vol. V, pp. 4 and 5.
