AGRICULTURE. The soil of Kentucky is fertile and well adapted to general agriculture. In 1900 S5.9 per cent. of the area was included in farms —a slight increase over the two preceding dec ades. The absolute area and the per cent. of improved farm land increased every decade be tween 1850 and 1900, amounting to 62.5 per cent. in the latter year. Incidental to the change in the industrial system brought about by the over throw of slavery, there has been a breaking up of the large plantations. In the last decade of the last century the average size of farms decreased from 119.4 acres to 93.7 acres, the latter being considerably less than half the average size of farms in 1850. The farms operated by owners are 67.2 per cent. of the total number, which is a much greater percentage than is found in the States farther south. the difference being largely due to the insignificance of cotton-raising in Kentucky and the small number of negro farmers. Only 4.8 per cent. of the farms are operated by and in the last decade of the century it increased 41.6 per cent. The acreage in 1900 Wan nearly double that of North Carolina, the second State in rank, and the production was more than twice that of any other State. The per acre value of the crop in 1900 was $48.19. Kentucky is also widely known for the production of hemp. This is attributable to the fact that its production in the United States is mainly confined to Kentucky rather than to its absolute importanee. the acre age, as will be seen from the table. being small. The greatest production was reported in the cen sus of 180. The yield returned in later has only once exceeded a fourth that of 1860. Its production is greatest about Lexington and in the adjacent counties to the southward. A little cotton is grown in the extreme southwestern corner of the State. So•ghum-cane is grown in small quantities. Irish and sweet potatoes and
watermelons yield large return-. Small fruits are extensively grown in Campbell and Jefferson counties. During tha last decade of the century the orchard trees increased 71.7 per cent. Of the total number, 69.4 per cent.. or 8.757,238, were apple. and 22.9 per cent. peach. The fer tilizers used, as reported in the last eensus year, were nearly threefold more than those reported in the preceding year, hut only averaged $4 to the farm.
The following table shows the relative impor tance of the leading crops for the years 1890 and 1900: colored farmers, the acreage eultivated amount only to 2 per cent. of the total farm area. Share tenants outnumber the cash tenants more than three and one-half times. and nearly doubled in number during the last decade of the last century.
The crop production of Kentucky has from the first been characterized by the great atten tion given to corn and tobacco. The area devoted to corn has always been nearly twice as great as the total for all other cereals. Wheat much more than regained in the last decade of the cen tury what it had lost in the preceding decade. the increase in acreage being 59.2 per cent. from 1889 to 1S99. From 1890 to 19110 oats and rye de creased over one-half. In 1S80 and earlier barley was of some importance. but is now scarcely grown at all. Hay. ineluding a number of varie ties, is one of the leading crops. Tobacco is the great money crop of the State. The soil contains an abundance of potash and other chemical ele ments required by the tobaceo-plant. which. to gether with the favorable temperature. makes this the foremost tobacco region of the United For a number of decades Kentucky's annual tobacco crop has ranged from one-third to one