AGRICULTURE. Oklahoma is preeminently an agricultural and region. The de velopment of agriculture since the Territory was opened to settlement has been extraordinary. In 1900, 15,719,235 acres, or 03.3 per cent. of the total area, was included in farms. of which 33.1 per cent. was improved. The average size of farms was 251.5 acres. Cash tenants represented s.2 per cent. of the farms, and share tenants 129 per vent.
The striking feature is the great variety of crops grown. The cotton yield per acre is in excess of that of any other State or Territory.
Corn and wheat lead in importance. In 1S99 there were 1.320,500 acres of corn and 1.279,526 acres of wheat. Other cereal crops in ISO!) were; oats, 130.019 acres: Kafir corn, 03.455; barley. 10.133; and rye, 3501. flay and forage for the same year had an area of 095.313 acres. Cotton is produced most extensively in the southern section. In IS99. 240.075 acres were devoted to this crop. The cultivation of potatoes, sorghum, melons, peanuts, eastor beans, and broom corn receives considerable attention. Not a little fruit is grown. The peach in 1900 num
bered 5,51:1072. or over tive-eighths of the total number of fruit trees. In 1900 there were 5.733.355 acres of vacant C1overnment land in the Territory subject to homestead entry. A great part of this was in the arid Beaver County, for merly known as 'No Man's Land.' For the recent opening of land to settlement,see section History.
SrocK-ItAtsING. The western third of the Territory is given up to eattle-raising, which flourished before the region was opened to settle ment. The number of cattle has increased pro digiously since that time. Horses, mnles, and swine are also important, and some sheep are ra ised.
The following table gives the number of domestic animals on farms in 1S90 and 1900: M.nxti•ACTUBING. The total number of 1900 was s70: 53.352.0ti I value of prodnet :::7.11‘13.934. The 'louring and grist mill ind ;IA ry is the most prominent. the number of mills being 53; capital, ::,11,0s0,661.
Cotton-ginning and the manufacture of cotton seed oil are next in importance.