AGRICULTURE. Iowa is preeminently an agri cultural State. and in the census year 1900 ex ceeded every other State in the value of farm products. Of its total land area, 97.4 per cent. is included in farms, and of this, 86.5 per cent. is improved. In neither of these respects was Iowa exceeded in 1900. The average size of farms decreased decidedly between 1850 and 1880, but increased again during the two succeeding decades, the average number of acres per farm in 1900 being 151.2. In the northwestern part of the State the average was much in excess of this figure, exceeding 200 acres in a few coun ties. There are indications of a considerable decrease in the number of farm laborers as com pared with the number of owners and tenants since the census year 1880. For the succeeding two decades the number of farms operated by tenants increased 80.5 per cent., as compared with an increase of only 5.5 per cent. for the farms operated by owners. The increase in the number of rented farms was wholly on the part of those rented according to the cash system, the number of these being five times greater in 1900 than in 1880, and constituting 19.5 per cent. of the total number of farms, while the farms rented on shares were but 15.4 per cent. of the total. The soil is well drained, producing abundantly without the aid of artificial fertil izers. The greater certainty of the rainfall exempts the State from crop failures such as occur in the States farther west. There are only two or three States which rival Iowa in the production of cereals. Nearly one-half of its entire land surface is devoted to these products. The State is noted especially for its corn crops, the acreage for which amounts to over one fourth of its total area, and contributes about one-half of the total value for all crops. Every decade in the State's history shows an increase in the acreage and production of this crop, the largest gain being in the decade 1S70-80. The crop is grown most extensively in the central and southwestern counties. Oats rank next in im portance, with about one-half the acreage and one-third the value of corn. The State usually takes first place in the production of this cereal. Like corn, each census has shown a large gain over the preceding. The crop is grown most ex tensively in the northern part of the State. The
attention given to wheat is in marked contrast with that given to corn and oats. In 1880 it was hive times as great as in 1890. There has since been a revival in the cultivation of wheat. the increase during the decade 1890-1900 being nearly threefold. It is raised most extensively in the northern and northwestern counties. The State ranks second in the production of barley. this crop also being most extensively grown in the northern part. T.ess important cereals are rye and buckwheat. Flaxseed is also grown. The large stock interests of the State make heavy de upon hay and forage crops, and the State ranks second in the acreage devoted to these products. The area devoted to them continued to increase rapidly until 1S90. but in the following decade it fell off 15.4 per cent. The soil is well adapted to vegetables, and the State ranks second in the production of Irish potatoes. The fruit industry' is rapidly developing, the total Handier of trees for all fruits having more than doubled during the decade 1S90-1900. Over 71 per (vat tt of the total ie apple-trees. Grapes and small fruits are suecessf ally grown.
STocK•Rms1 mi. Stock- raising is naturally associated with the raising of corn, oats, an • 1899, of which amount $12,27.5,000 represented I the receipts from milk. The value of poultry and eggs was even greater, being $19,50s,film. The I following tables show the nmnber of acres de \ Ot Vti to the leading crops and the number of douaetic animals for dhe census years 1890 and 1 1900: forage crops. Compared with other States, stock raising holds a still higher rank than the rais ing of crops. Texas alum- rivals Iowa in the value of live stock, and is the only State which exceeds it in the number of cattle. Iowa is far in advance of all others in the number of swine, and leads also in the number of horses. A very low rank, however, is taken in the number of mules and sheep. The number of neat cattle, horses, and swine has increased for every decade between IMO and 1900. The decrease in the number of dairy cows, as shown by the census for the decade 1S90-1900, is prob ably due to the change in the method of making the count, and is therefore more apparent than