AGRICULTURE. Agriculture is the leading in dustry. In 1900, 33.997,87:3 acres, or 77.3 per cent. of the total area, was included in farms. In every decade from 1850 to 1900 there was a de cided gain in the farm acreage, the increase since ISGO being wholly in the acreage of improved land, which in 1000 amounted to fi7.4 per cent. of the total farm area. The average size of farms decreased front 215.4 acres in 1860 to 110.3 in 1000. In the latter year 31.1 per cent. of the farm acreage was included in farms ranging in size from r00 to 174 acres. The per cent; of farms rented was slightly greater in 1900 than in the preceding census years, the farms leased on the share system being 19.5 per cent. of all farms, and those rented for ensh 11 per cent. The crop production is characterized by the great at tention given to corn, which constitutes over 71 per cent. of the total cereal crop, and places Mis souri among the leading corn States. The area devoted to corn increased continuously front 1870, the increase in the acreage during the decade 1890 1900 hieing 22.3 per cent. Wheat is the next most important of the cereals. its production had increased steadily until about 1850, but since then the acreage lias remained almost stationary. The acreage of oats continued to gain until 1890, but in the following decade it decreased 45.4 per cent. The production of rye decreased over one half between 1880 and 1900, while barley and buckwheat have become quite unimportant. A largely increasing acreage is devoted to hay and forage, which together rank next to corn in area. A great deal of flax is raised near the western border of the State south if the River, and the acreage devoted to this crop increased 78.9 per cent. between 1890 and 1900. In the lowlands in the southeast corner of the State cotton is the leading crop. Potatoes and sorghum cane are
grown throughout .lissouri. The State ranks third in the production of watermelons. and is prominent also in the production of tomatoes, eabliages, and other vegetables. The tobacco crop has decreased every decade since 1860, and Iwtwe,q, 1590 and 111110 it decreased 61.6 per cent. Broom corn and eastor beans receive some at tention. Both small fruits and orchard fruits are grown in abundance. In 1900. 7494 acres were devoted to strawberries :thine. In the saine year there were over 20,000.000 apple trees, these eon stituting 75.2 per cent. of the total number of fruit trees and exeeeding the number in every other State. Between 1890 and 1900 the number of apple trees increased 115.9 per cent.. peach trees 127.9 per cent., and must other varieties a still greater per cent. The gain in apple and peach culture was greatest in the southwestern corner of the State. The following table of acre is self-explanatory: 8TocK-ItAlsix0. The number of horses and mules has increased in every decade since 850. The number of dairy cows had gained steadily until 1890, but decreased in the following decade. The number of other cattle was greater in 1900 than in any other census year. Missouri is one of the largest swine-raising States, hut the num ber of swine fell off somewhat between 1890 and 1900. The number of sheep has decreased over one-half since 1880. The milk, butter, and cheese product in 1890 was valued at $15.042.360, of which amount 34.9 per cent. was received from sales. Probably no State exceeds :Missouri in the extent of its poultry industry. The value of the eggs produced in 1899 was estimated at $8, 305.371. The following table shows the number of domestic animals on the farms: