103 years ago, Delco had 996 farms!! Hard to imagine today!!

 

This picture simply says Nether Providence Twp. near Swarthmore. Note the corn at the top of the hill.

Note: It is so hard  to imagine today that Delco had 996 farms in 1926. Just in my lifetime the western part of the county has changed so much, put there is still lots of open space.

          CHESTER TIMES 

July 26, 1926 

996 FARMS ARE IN THIS COUNTY

 Have Acreage of 61,426 and 3354 Persons Reside On Them

          Delaware County has 996 farms with a total acreage of 64,425 and 3354 persons living on them, according to statistics contained in the Pennsylvania state triennial farm census, which was taken in 1924 for the first time, the figures of which were made public today by F. P. Willits, secretary of agriculture, Harrisburg.

          The Pennsylvania triennial farm census was authorized by the act of April 26, 1921.  Under the provisions of the act, the state Department of Agriculture bears all the costs of printing, tabulating, compiling and disseminating the census information, while the individual counties bear the cost of collecting the data.

          The census was taken in the autumn of 1924, enumerating the crops and livestock as of the time of the assessor’s visit.  The federal census began December 1, 1924, covering the crop season of 1924, enumerating the crops and livestock as of the time of the assessor’s visit.  The federal census began December 1, 1924, covering the crop season of 1924 and enumerating the livestock and all other farm items as of the first of January 1925.  The effect of the different dates of enumeration is reflected principally in the number of swine, the state census being taken before slaughtering season for the federal after this.

          The farm population of 3354 is divided as follows:  Males, 7173; females, 1641.  The operators are classed as owners, 809; tenants, 187.  The winter wheat acreage is given as 2289; rye, 163, oats, 1736; corn (for grain),m 5418; (silage), 1158; buckwheat, 27; potatoes, 933; all tame hay, 9503; alfalfa, 2103; number of apple trees (bearing age), 28,322; (non-bearing), 18,651; horses (all ages), 2484; mules, 151; cows (two years old and over), 5747; bulls and all other cattle, 894; number all other cattle all ages, 1132.

          Steers fattened past winter, 128; swine, 7406; sheep (all ages), 1145; hens and pullets, 91,906; beehives, 477; silos, 218; tractors, 1258; automobiles, 791; motor trucks, 382; farms equipped with electricity (individual plant), 117; central plant, 258; radios, 253.

          Under the caption, “Facts Concerning the Census,” the Department of Agriculture has the following to say about the cooperation of those who assisted in the gathering of the facts:

          “The census work was new, of course, to the assessors, and its importance was probably not fully realized by all of them; but the, together with the county commissioners and the 200,000 farms of Pennsylvania, have earned full commendation for the fine spirit of cooperation in the census.  On the whole it represents a splendid piece of work and lays the foundation for getting more reliable and trustworthy reports in each successive triennial farm census, the next one of which is to be taken in 1927.”