The census of 1900 reported an area of 841 million acres of land as included within farms; this is about forty-five per cent. of the entire land area of continental United States. The census divides farm lands into two parts: ( ), improved or cultivated land; and (2), unimproved land consisting of woodland, permanent pastures, etc. In 1000 the improved land was a trifle less than half of the total farm area, or 415 million acres, which is 21.6 per cent. of the land area of the United States.

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... re were in that year 5,739,-657 farms, having an average area of 146.6 acres each, of which 72.3 acres were improved land. Statistics of agriculture have been gathered with increasing fullness by each census since 1850. Data concerning tenure were first obtained in the census of 1880. The average number of acres per farm and the average number of acres of improved land are given for each census in the following table: The average farm decreased in size from 1850 to 1880, and since that time has increased. Whether this recent increase is to continue and whether it has significance, time alone will show.