Still, the isolated "farmstead" or "home stead," miles distant from village centres, may be said to be typical as compared with that elsewhere in the world. The average farm acreage, too, approximating to the original "homestead" of 160 acres, is also characteristic, in contrast with the peasant holdings and great estates of Europe. This "isolation" of the farm homes is accompanied by the dispersion of rural schools and country churches and again forms a striking contrast to the communal or ganization of European agriculture.
The representative American farm, too, is laid out on the rectangular system, as a result of the original survey. Except in the North east and older parts of the South it does not follow the lay of the land, having been tradi tionally accommodated to the relatively flat and homogeneous prairie country. The fields are also rectangular rather than in the strips so noteworthy abroad, and, though differing in size from 10 acres to 30 acres, depending on the region and type of farming followed, are characterized by their extent and adaptation to machinery. Public roadways are more abundant than in Europe, in general, the farm having a highway on two sides. The cultivated fields are close-in, pastures and wood-lots more remote from the house and barns, which are typically toward the highway side of the farm. The whole lay-out evidences response to our conditions, with traces, however, of traditional usages.
Farm Buildings.— The investment in farm buildings (15 per cent in 1910) is relatively smaller than in older countries, but is steadily increasing. The requirements have undergone and are still undergoing great changes, due to the increased use of machinery, the keeping of more and better stock, superior methods of preparing and using feeding stuffs, and also to the development of fire insurance. The farm-home has undergone less radical changes. The chief tendency evident is to bring the buildings to the centre of the farm, thus em phasing convenience and economy rather than the social aspects so prominent in the arrange ment of the older States and older countries. The many' separate buildings, erected on the place from time to time with changes in farm methods, also show signs of being brought to gether, reducing the number and organizing a few for a great variety of uses. The laborer's cottage is coming to be a part of the farm group of buildings; the new style feed lot ; the wind mill or pumphouse with underground water sup ply lines; the planting of trees for shade and windbreak; the beginnings of elimination of the old style fence and fencing in general: all are phases of the reorganization of the Ameri can farm.
Types "Diversified farm ing" requires the greatest skill in such reorgani-• zation, and the changes are most noteworthy where this develops, but the simple organization of the old style Southern plantation, as well as the small New England farm, are also adapted.
The one-family farm of tradition is also passing. More farmable and manageable areas suited to latter-day conditions are being rapidly differentiated. New types of farm-units are appearing which will relieve the struggle for existence which many American farms have been experiencing because of too rigid 'adherence to the traditions. Present-day processes are greatly modifying not only the size of the farm but its internal organization and external re lations.
There is undoubtedly to be an increasing place for the very small farm. These small and intensively tilled farms will necessarily be near centres of population where the farmer can handle his own market; and where he will produce high class specialties. Such farms are ideal, but although they give great economic independence, they also require great executive skill. Popular fancy has indeed over-appreci ated this opportunity; many city people have come to grief in such experiments; and it has been the goal of most aback to the land" schemes.
Another type of small farm, much more common, and characteristic of our conditions, is the one-man farm, where the owner does the work himself (and his family) with little equipment. These are generally on low-priced land, and devoted to the universal staples, risk being reduced to a minimum. This narrow and traditional type of farming seldom produces the best results for the individual or for the com munity.
Still another type is the representative farm of 160 acres, which is managed with compara tively little outside help, but where the soil is good, the equipment ample, live-stock is kept and relatively little land maintained in tillage. Skill in "management" makes these profitable, and results in a prosperous and suc cessful farm.