Table Of ContentThe Pennsylvania State College
The Graduate School
Department of Agricultural Economics
and Rural Sociology
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
IN THE PITTSBURGH DISTRICT
A Thesis
by
DONALD CARVER KIMMEL
Submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements
for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
February 1950
Approved:
aL Economics
lead of Department
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The writer wishes to express his appreciation to the numerous
individuals and organizations whose assistance has made the conduct and
completion of this study possible*
A special note of appreciation is due the Allegheny Conference
on Community Development and the Chamber of Commerce of Pittsburgh, the
organizations at whose request the study was initiated. Complete finan
cial support was provided by the Allegheny Conference on Community
Development. The Chamber of Commerce rendered valuable assistance in
publicizing the project and in aiding in the procurement of information.
To the county agricultural extension agents and their assistants
the writer expresses appreciation for their services in acquainting him
with the agriculture in their particular counties. Gratitude is also
expressed to the numerous farmers and agricultural organizations and
activities within the District>ho have provided information.
Dr. Wayne A. Lee, in his capacity as adviser, has given the
writer considerable assistance in planning the study and in checking
the manuscript. Numerous other members of the faculty of the School
of Agriculture at The Pennsylvania State College have contributed infor
mation and made valuable suggestions.
All clerical work on the study was done by Mrs. Clifford
Huntingdon, Mrs. Jack Wyker typed the manuscript.
OJ
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CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION................... 1
Objective.......................................... 1
Scope and Method..................................... 2
Source of Data....................................... 4
Area Included...................................... 5
Population..... ........... 7
FACTORS DETERMINING THE EXTENT AND KIND OF AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY. 13
Physical Factors .............................. .. 13
Soils and Topography............................. 14.
Allegheny Plateau............................ 16
Vestern Appalachian Plateau................... 19
Northern Appalachian Plateau. ............. 20
Climate......................................... 22
Rainfall................................... 22
Temper attire and Growing Season................ 25
Biological Factors.................................. . 28
Economic Factors................... 30
Personal and Miscellaneous Factors...................... 39
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AGRICULTURE...................... 42
Size of the Agricultural Industry...................... 42
Acreage and Proportion of Land Area Devoted to Farming. 42
Number and Size of Farms.......................... 46
Investment in Farming............................. 55
Value of Production .................. 69
Size and Characteristics of the Farm Labor Force. 75
Number of Persons Employed.................... 75
Composition of the Farm Labor Force........ 76
Tenure Status • • 78
Work Off Farm............................... 79
Utilization of Farm Land.............................. 79
Conservation and Improvement of Farm Land................ 87
Farm Mechanization................................... 96
Farm Buildings and Facilities....... .................. 107
TYPES OF FARM ENTERPRISES... 113
Livestock Enterprises.. 115
Cattle Enterprises 117
Dairy Cattle. 126
Beef Cattle.. 152
158
Poultry ....
161
Chickens...
Turkeys.... 172
176
Hogs...........
Sheep.......... 183
191
Goats...........
192
Bees...........
195
Crop Enterprises.....
196
Field Crops.....
200
Hay........
205
Corn..... ..
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Page
Oats................................. 210
Wheat....................................... 214-
Buckwheat .................. ......„»......... 217
Potatoes.............................. 220
Soy Beans....................... ............ 232
Barley........................ 233
Rye................................... 235
Fruit Production.............................. 238
Tree Fruits and Grapes. ............ 239
Small Fruits...................... 243
Vegetables ................................. 246
Horticultural Specialties.................. 254
Forest Product Enterprises ................... 257
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS......................... *.......... 265
APPENDIX................................................
Methods of Calculating Froduction-Gonsumption Relationships. I
Bibliography.......................................... VI
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TABLES
Table Page
1 Total Population, Rural Population, Rural Farm
Population, and Percentages of Totals Represented
by Rural and Rural Farm Populations, District
Counties, 194-0 •*.•«................................ 10
2 Total, Rural, and Rural Farm Populations for 1930, 1940
and Percentage Changes, 1930 to 1940, District Counties.* 12
3 Annual Rainfall, Wej’ern Pennsylvania Stations, 1943-47.... 23
4 Extremes in Temperature Reported at Western Pennsylvania
Stations, 1943-47........................... ....... 26
5 Annual Average Growing Season Temperatures, and Average,
Minimum, and Ma^amam Crowing Season Temperatures for the
5-Tear Period 1943-47, Western Pennsylvania Stations 26
6 Average and Extreme Length of Growing Season, Western
Pennsylvania Weather Reporting Stations, 1943-47....... 27
7 Average and Extreme Dates of First and Last Killing
Frosts, Western Pennsylvania Weather Reporting
Stations, 1943*47.................................. 2 8
8 Index Numbers of Enjoyment and Payrolls in Nonagricultural
Activities, Pittsburgh District, 1929-47..... ........ 36
9 Average Weekly Earnings in Nonagricultural Employment
Groups, Pittsburgh District, 1939-47.............. 37
10 Total Mileage of State highway and Rural Roads, Mileage
of Surfaced and Improved Roads, Mileage of Unimproved
Roads, and Per Gent of Total Highway Mileage Which is
Improved, District Counties, 1948..................... 38
11 Acres of Farm Land, District Counties, 1880-1945......... 43
12 Per Cent of Total Land Area in Farms, District Counties,
Pennsylvania, and the United States, 1900*45........ . 48
13 Number and Percentage Distribution of Farms by Counties,
Pittsburgh District, 1945........................ . 51
14 Number and Proportion of Farms by Size Groups, Pittsburgh
District, 1935, 1940 and 1945..... .................. 52
15 Average Sise of Farms in Acres, District Counties, 1850
and 1945, and Percentage Change in Size............... 53
16 Index Numbers of Investment and Prices of Machinery, Live
stock, and Real Estate, Pittsburgh District, 1900-45... 57
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Table Page
17 Percentage Changes in Numbers of Livestock on Farms,
Pittsburgh District, Between Census Periods, 1900-4.5..... 57
18 Total Investment in Agriculture, Pittsburgh District,
1900-45........................................... 59
19 Dollar Value and Relative Importance of Livestock,
Machinery and Real Estate, Pittsburgh District, 1900-45., 61
20 Dollar Value and Relative Importance of Investment in Real
Estate, Livestock, and Machinery, District Counties, 1945 63
21 Value of Agricultural Production for Sale and Home Use,
Adjusted and Unadjusted for Changes in the Price Level,
Pittsburgh District, Pennsylvania and the United States,
1929, 1939 and 1944................................ 70
22 Total Value of Agricultural Production, District
Counties, 1944..... • • • 72
23 Total Value of Farm Production, Value and Proportion of
Total Sold and Used at Home, District Counties and
Pennsylvania, 1939 and 1944......................... 73
24 Number of Farms and Value of Production with Farms
Grouped According to Value of Production, Pittsburgh
District, 1944.................*.................. 74
25 Total Number of Persons 14 Tears of Age and Over Employed,
Number and Proportion of Total Employed in Agriculture,
District Counties, March 24-30, 1940................. 76
26 Composition of the Farm Labor Force, District Counties,
January 1945, With Some 1940 Comparisons.............. 77
27 Number of Farms by Tenure Status of Operators, District
Counties, 1945............... 78
28 Number and Proportion of Farm Operators Reporting
Off-Farm Work, and Extent of Such Work, District Counties
1939 and 1944..................................... 81
29 Distribution of Farm Land According to Use, District
Counties, 1944......... *............. ............
30 Utilization of Land Designated as Crop Land, District
Counties, 1944*...................................
31 Total Acres of Woodland, Acres of Woodland Pastured, and
Per Cent of Total Woodland Pastured, District Counties,
1944............................................. 89
32 Total Expenditures for Lime and Fertilizer, and
Expenditures Per Acre of Cropland, District Counties, 1939 91
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Table Page
33 Tons of Lime and Fertilizer Used in District Counties,
1933^2............................ 92
34. Coal Production and Acres of Land Involved in Surface-
Mining Operations, District Counties, 1 9 4 4 - 4 7 . » 94-
35 Investment in Implements and Machinery Per Acre of
Improved Land and Per Farm, District Counties,
Pennsylvania and the United States, 1850, 1900 and 1945.. 97
36 Horses, Mules and Tractors on District Farms, 1945........ 101
37 Acres of Land Used for Crops Per Horse or Mule and Per
Tractor, District Counties, Pennsylvania and the United
States, 1925 and 1945................... .......... 102
38 Number of Trucks and the Number and Proportion of Farms
Reporting Trucks, District Counties, 1945............. 103
39 Estimates of Numbers of Different Types of Hay Making
Equipment Found on Farms, and Numbers of Farmers Making
Grass Silage, District Counties, August 1, 1945........ 105
40 Number of Farms, Total Value of Farm Buildings, and Value
of Buildings Per Farm, District Counties, 1940......... 103
41 Number and Proportion of Farms Reporting Electricity and
Having Access to Electricity, District Counties,
Pennsylvania, and the United States, 1945...... 110
42 Number and Proportion of Farms Having Running Water,
Telephones, and Radios, District Counties, Pennsylvania,
and the United States, 1945..... 1H
43 Relative Importance of Livestock, Crops, and Forest
Products as Sources of Cash Income to District and
Pennsylvania Farmers, 1944.... *.......... H3
44 Dollar Value and Relative Importance of Livestock, Crops,
and Forest Products Sold, District Counties, 1944....... H5
45 Relative Importance of Livestock Enterprises Expressed by
Different Measures, Pittsburgh District, 1945, and
Estimated Livestock Numbers, January 1, 1947.......... 116
46 Number of Cattle on Farms, District Counties, Peak Years,
1945, and Per Cent Change Between Peak Years and 1945.... 120
47 Cattle Marketed Via Truck at the Pittsburgh Stockyards,
District Counties, 1939-47.......................... 121
48 Calves Marketed Via Truck at the Pittsburgh Stockyards,
District Counties, 1939-47....... 122
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Table Page
49 Production and Consumption of Beef, District Counties,
1939....................... ............... ......124
50 Production and Consumption of Veal, District Counties, 1939 124
51 Number of Dairy Cows in 1850, in Peak Tear, and in 1940 and
Per Cent Change, District Counties................... 130
52 Values of Dairy Products Sold, and Percentages of All
Livestock and Livestock Products Sold Accounted for by
Dairy Products, District Counties, 1939 and 1944..... . 131
53 Some Characteristics of the Dairy Enterprise, Pittsburgh
District, Census Periods, 1929-44.................... 132
54 Number and Proportion of Dairy Farms and Dollar Value and
Proportion of Total Value of Production Classified
According to Value of Production Groups, Pittsburgh
District, 1944... ................................ 133
55 Milk Production Per Cow, District Counties, Pennsylvania
and the United States, 1924-44*.............. 136
56 Number of Whole Year Herds and Average Number of Cows in
Dairy Herd Improvement Associations, 1947, and Production
of Association Cows Compared With Production of all Cows,
District Counties, 1944*............................137
57 Member Associations, Date of Origin, Number of Members,
and Number of Cows by Breed, Registered or Grade, Western
Pennsylvania Artificial Breeding Association and State
of Pennsylvania. ................................139
58 Seasonal Variations in Milk Production, District I,
Dairymen's Cooperative Sales Association, 1938-47..... . 144
59 Production and Consumption of Milk, District Counties, 1939 146
60 Kinds of Dairy Products Produced and Sold, District Farms,
1859-1944........................................
61 Number of Beef Cows Two Years and Older on Farms, District
Counties, 1900-40................................ . 135
62 Dollar Values of Poultry and Poultry Products Sold and
Relative Importance as Percentages of all Livestock and
Livestock Products Sold, District Counties, 1939 and 1944 159
63 Numbers and Percentages of Farms Reporting Poultry and
Numbers and Percentages of Various Species of Poultry,
Pittsburgh District, 1940....................... 160
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64 Dozens of Eggs Produced and Proportion of Total
Production, District Counties, 1944..... ............... I63
65 Average Size of Flock and Proportion of All Farms
Reporting Chickens, Pittsburgh District, Pennsylvania
and the United States, 1930, 194.0 and 1945#....... . I63
66 Number and Proportion of Poultry Farms, and Dollar Value
and Proportion of Total Value of Production Classified
According to Value of Production Groups, Pittsburgh
District, 1944.................................... 165
67 Relative Importance of Market Outlets for Eggs on the
Basis of Eggs Sold and Number of Producers Using the
Outlet, Armstrong, Butler and Clarion Counties, 1947...... 166
68 Relative Importance of Market Outlets for Chickens on the
Basis of Chickens Sold and Number of Producers Using
the Outlet, by Armstrong, Butler and Clarion County
Poultry Producers, 1947...................... .....167
69 Production and Consumption of Eggs, District Counties,
1939... ..................... .................... 168
70 Production and Consumption of Chicken, District Counties,
1939. ............................................ 171
71 Number of Turkeys Raised and Number of Farms Raising
Turkeys, District Counties, 1939 and 1944............. 173
72 Production and Consumption of Turkeys, District Counties,
1939.. ........................................... 174
73 Number of Hogs on Farms in District Counties Peak Years,
1945, and Percentage Decline Between Peak Years and
1945......................... .................... 178
74 Total Number of Hogs Sold, Number and Per Cent Sold at the
Pittsburgh Stockyards, District Counties, 1944*......... ISO
75 Production and Consumption of Pork, District Counties,
1939............................................. 131
76 Number of Sheep on Farms, District Counties, Peak Year,
1945, and Per Cent Decline Between Peak Year and 1945...• 186
77 Sheep Marketed Via Truck at the Pittsburgh Stockyards from
District Counties, 1939-47................. ....... . 187
78 Production and Consumption of Mutton and Lamb, District
Counties, 1939..................... ................1^
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79 Number of Goats, Number of Farms Reporting Gloats, and
Inventory Value of Goats, District Counties, January
1940 and 1945..................................... 191
80 Number of Colonies of Bees and Pounds of Honey Produced,
District Counties, 1939...... ...................... 194
81 Importance of Various Groups of Crop Enterprises,
Pittsburgh District, 1944........................... 195
82 Harvested Acreage, Value of Crop, and Number of Farms
Reporting Various Field Crops, Pittsburgh District, 1944* 197
83 Harvested Acreage, Value of Crops and Number of Farms
Reporting Various Field Crops, Pennsylvania, 1944...... 198
84 Harvested Acreage of Various Field Crops, Pittsburgh
District, 1879-1944................................ 199
85 Kinds of Hay and Acreages Harvested, Pittsburgh District,
1899-1944......................................... 203
86 Some Characteristics of the Corn Enterprise, Pittsburgh
District, Census Crop Years 1929-44*..................... 206
87 Total Acres of Corn Harvested, Acres and Proportion
Harvested for Grain, and Acres Harvested for Silage,
District Counties, 1944..... . ...................... 208
88 Characteristics of the Oat Enterprise, Pittsburgh District,
1929-44.......................................... 211
89 Oat Production, District Counties, 1944*................ 213
90 Wheat Production, District Comities, 1944. .... *..... 216
91 Buckwheat Production, District Counties, 1939.............219
92 Potato Production, District Counties, 1944*............. 222
93 Acres of Potatoes Harvested, District Counties, 1879-1944*• 224
94 Some Characteristics of the Potato Enterprise in the
Pittsburgh District, 1929-44*................. . 225
95 Production and Consumption of Potatoes, District Comities,
1939............................................. 227
96 Rail and Truck Receipts of Potatoes at Pittsburgh Produce
Terminal, 1936-47.................................. 229
97 Major Sources of Potatoes at the Pittsburgh Produce
Terminal, 1941-47................................. 229
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