OCR Text |
Show Few Farms But More Efficient Farm Production Rises Steadily Firmi are getting bigger, few-r few-r and mora efficient, reports the U.S. census bureau. The average farm grew from 174 to 210H aerei between 1940 and 1950, the census figure! show. During Dur-ing thif decade, the actual number of farmi decreased by 713,000. About 870,000 fewer persons worked on farms In 1930 than In 1940. Meanwhile, farm production has been rising steadily. Between 1940 and 1980, corn production Increased ' Dnrlng the 10-year period from 1940 to 1950, the average farm in the United States grew from 174 acres. to 210 M acres yet the actual number of farms decreased by 713,000. by 678,863,000 bushels; wheat by 312,109,000 bushels; oats, 218,684,-! 000 bushsls; and soybeans 1,792,000 j buihsls. Four factors have helped bring bout these crop production In-, oreases, says the Middle West Soil Improvement committee: (1) high-. er yielding, disease resistant new Jcrop varieties; (2) increased use ' of commercial fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphate and potash; 1 (3) more mechanization of farm' work which enables a man to do mce ir. fewer hours; (4) greater : realization by farmers of the need for building and maintaining the soil's fertility level. Higher crop yields mean a greater great-er drain on the soil's fertility re-: re-: sources. |