AREA OF FARMS AND 1 MPROVED LAND. In the following table it will lie seen that the total farm area of the United States increased in the last half of the nineteenth century nearly threefold: The total farm area in the decade 1860-1870 stood practically stationary, but the improved area increased during that period. The large gain made between '1.8110 and 1000 consisted mainly of unimproved land. This was due mainly to the inclusion in the census of large areas of grazing land throughout the West, particularly Texas, in which State the unimproved area in creased from 30.6(30,722 to 106,230.941 acres. In the North Atlantic States the census shows a con siderable decrease since 1880 in the improved area, but this was largely due to a change in census methods, and the real decrease was less than indicated. The improved area in the South Atlantic States has increased constantly since l870. The following fable shows the acreage of improved and unimproved land and the total land area in 1900: Appalachian and Atlantic seaboard region con tains much broken and rocky land, and much soil of only moderate or of inferior quality. Through
out the eastern half of the United States the rainfall is ordinarily sufficient for growth of crops. Westward, however, in the longitude of central the rainfall is greatly dimin ished and the transition from cultivated region to grazing lands is fairly abrupt. The Gulf of Mexico has a decidedly moderating effect on the The most noteworthy fact shown is the great importance, absolutely and proportionately, of the north central division. Over one-half the total farm area in this section is improved. There are hut few large regions in the world so easily and uniformly adaptable to cultivation. In Iowa 97.4 per cent. of the total land area was in farms in 1900, and of this 86.5 per cent. was improved. Illinois makes almost an equally good allowing, and Indiana. Ohio, and Missouri are other States in this group which have a large percentage of improved land.