AGICICULTCRE. Farming is carried on more or less extensively in all sections, there being many arable and fertile valleys, even in the more mountainous regions. Districts too hilly to be readily cultivated are admirably adapted for grazing. In the southeastern counties the soil is an exceedingly rich loam, and agriculture is high ly developed. About 1;7 per cent. of the area of the State is included in farms, and of this 68 per cent. is improved. The area of improved land in creased rapidly until 1880, since when it has not materially changed. The average size of farms decreased in each decade between 1850 and 1900, being reduced from 117 acres in 1850 to 86.4 in 1900. Seventy-four per cent. of the farms are operated by owners. Pennsylvania leads the Atlantic States in the production of cereals. It yields considerably over twice as much corn and :ibout three times as much wheat as NM York. The acreage for each of these in 1900 exceeded that in 1880 and in 1890. Oats, which are only a little less important, decreased slightly in acre age during the same period. Oats are grown extensively in the eastern section. and corn
and wheat in the southeastern. The State leads in the production of rye, and is exceeded by New York alone in the area of buckwheat. having over a third of the total acreage for the United States. The acreage of hay is greatly exceeded in New York and slightly in two or three Western States. Potatoes form one of the chief money crops. Other varieties of vegetables are also abundantly grown. particularly sweet corn and cabbage, the acreages separately reported in 1900 being respectively 12,879 and 10,851. Tobacco is a very important crop in Lancaster and York counties. Pennslyvania is a large producer of or ehard fruits. Between 181)0 and 11)00 the number of trees increased 59.4 per cent., the increase in the peach trees being par•tic•ularly noteworthy. Of the total number of trees, 11,774,211, or 66 per cent., were apple. Grapes and small fruits are grown in considerable quantities, and flori culture is extensively carried on.
The following table shows the acreages of the leading, farm crops: