AGRICULTURE. Only .50 per 14.11t. of the total land area is included in farms. The area of im proved land increased until 1880, since when it has remained p$u•tically stationary. In 1900 the percentage of farm land improved was 69.6. The number of farms increased during the half cen tury nearly 45 per cent.. while the average acreage decreased from 115.2 in 1850 to 82 in 1900. There is a gain in the per cent. of rented farms, espe cially cash-tenant farms. which increased 33.6 per cent. during Hie decade 1890-1900, so that these farms represented in 1900 13.3 per cent. of the total number of farms. as against 14.6 per rent. for the share tenants. The soil is generally a red sandy loam, easily tilted. The river valleys are very fertile, lint in most parts of the State fertilizers are advantageously used. The cost of fertilizer: per farm in 1900 was Between 1880 and 1890 the area Ilevnted to cereals decreased considerably, lint the falling off was cheeky(' in the next decade, when the loss was confined to oats and rye, the other crops showing gains. Accordingly the decrease in the cereals is not so marked as in some other East ern States. Corn, the principal cereal, is raised throughout the State; wheat, next in rank, is grown in the western counties; rye, oats, and buckwheat are confined almost entirely to the northwestern counties. The acreage of hay and forage crops exceeds that of corn and wheat combined, and considerable areas of the poorer lands are being turned into permanent pasture lands. As above suggested. the proximity of
large cities—notably New York and Philadelphia —has led to a large gardening and fruit-raising industry. Of the $8,400,000 of vegetable produce grown in the census year 1900, 26 per cent. and 14.4 per cent. respectively represented the value of the Irish and the sweet potatoes. New Jer sey ranks next to _Maryland in the production of tomatoes; the acreage devoted to their cultiva tion exceeded that of sweet potatoes. Sweet corn, melons. and cabbages were the most ha portant of the other vegetables. The raising of early vegetables under glass for the New York and Philadelphia markets is a large industry.
Orchard fruits receive much attention, the peach-growing industry being very extensive in the northwestern counties. From 1890 to 1900 the number of peach trees decreased about 38 per cent. There was an equal percentage of in crease in the number of apple trees. In 1900 32.1 per cent. of all fruit trees in the State were apple trees, and 48.6 were peach trees. A great variety of small fruits are raised, strawberries and cranberries being most important. Cran berry culture is confined largely to the marshy lands of Burlington and Ocean counties. New Jersey is surpassed by few States in the extent of its floriculture. The value of the product grown for the market in 1900 was nearly $2, 000.000.
The following table of acreage is self-explana tory: