Volume 7 , Issue 37

1920 - Facts Concerning The 1920 Census...

[taken from Renfrew's Record, dated January 2, 1920, Alva, OK., frontpage.] -- The 1920 Census does not attempt to get at the value of the products of the farm, but does try to find the amount of bushels or other units of measure that the farmer has raised for sale in excess of what he feeds or uses on the farm.

In the taking of some of the former censuses the attempt was made to get at the value of the livestock that the farmer sold. This often led to duplication, as sometimes during the year the same stock was sold to two or three different men, each man reporting the sale, when really only one animal was sold for market.

A special effort is made to find out the tenure of the farms, whether owned or rented, and if rented what share or other rental is paid. Also the encumbrance, as well as the value of the farm, and the rate of interest paid.

The farm expenses are divided into four heads; the amount expended for hay, grain, mill feed and other products not raised on the farm, but that were fed to livestock including poultry; the amount expended for fertilizer; the amount expended in cash for farm labor, excluding that for housework and then the estimated value of house or room rent and board for farm laborers in 1919, in addition to cash wages paid. The entire report is for the year 1919. The information will be gathered from the occupant of the land January 1st, 1920, regardless of whether he farmed that land or not.

Each farmer is expected to estimate the total amount of milk produced on his farm, as well as the milk, cream and butter sold, and the number of dozen eggs sold, the number of chickens raised, whether sold or not, and the number of chickens sold; the number of domestic animals slaughtered on the farm for food -- not their value -- just the number used.

In farm facilities inquiry is made concerning the number of tractors, automobiles and motor trucks on the farm, whether the farm has a telephone, water piped into the house, gas or electric lights. Inquiry is also made as to the value of products sold to co-operative marketing organizations in 1919, as well as the value of the farm supplies purchased through farmers' organizations.

As to crops the inquiry is made as to the number of acres harvested, the quantity harvested and the quantity to be sold.

We will be glad to furnish a sample farm schedule to anyone who will make application for same. This will assist the farmer as well as the enumerators in January.

No inquiry is made as to the amount of growing crops, including wheat, or the amount that the farmer intends to grow in 1920, although the inquiry as to the size of the farm is made as to number of acres in cultivation, as well as the number of acres in pasture and waste land.

It is made a severe penalty for any enumerator to divulge any information as to the value of any farmer's estimate of his property, as well as the number or amount of anything on hand, or any other information that he may get.

The enumerators will gather from all factories the cost price, number of hands employed, and the products of the factory. In the mines, including oil and gas, complete information will be gathered of the production, value, expense -- including all help employed, etc.

We will gladly furnish to the proprietors of all factories and farms blanks that will enable them to readily answer the questions of enumberators. -- C. H. Hyde, Supervisor of Census, Eighth District, Oklahoma"   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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