REASONS FOR THE DECREASE IN LAND VALUES

The development of the western free land is commonly considered to be the only reason for the decrease in the value of eastern land; but many other causes contributed their share to the depreciation.

Our land was too high in the war time and farms were divided into too small areas, so that after the war was over and when the central west was being settled, it was hard for a man on an average size farm in New York to produce enough to make farming pay; whereas, if he had had twice the area, he might have competed with western farmers. Our farms are now getting larger, as evidenced by vacant houses on land that is not idle. Many persons believe in the little farm, but our statistics show that general farms and dairy farms of from 100 to 200 acres are paying much better than smaller farms.

Another important reason is that we have lived so near cities that the farm boys have been drawn away. In the west where cities and manufacturing enterprises are not so common, farm boys do not see the glamour of the factory and are, therefore, not so likely to be led to leave the farms. All these and other factors contributed to the general depression in farming and to the lack of confidence that necessarily followed.

CHANGES During the PAST TEN YEARS

But conditions have changed. As late as 1860 land in Illinois was used for free range. This land is now selling for from $100 to $250 per acre. Land in Iowa that was free range in 1870 is now selling for from $75 to $200 per acre. In Nebraska there was free range in 1880 on land that is now worth $100 per acre. As late as 1895 there was free range on arid land in western Kansas and Nebraska, on land that is now selling for from $151 to $20 per acre.

Free land in the United States is a thing of the past, though of so recent a past that many eastern farmers do not believe it. There is still some desert land that is free, also some free land that can be irrigated, but irrigated land is expensive when the cost of the water right is considered. There is no more such land as that in

Kansas and Nebraska that was open to settlement twenty years. ago. We need have no fear of the irrigated land; only a very small fraction of the arid land can ever be irrigated, and these areas will be reclaimed so gradually as to have little effect.

If our land could come so near to maintaining its value in competition with productive free land, should it not rapidly increase in value when such competition is over?

ARE OUR CROP YIELDS DECREASING?

But some persons say that our land is worn out and our crop yields decreasing. By referring to Table A we will see the facts. The average yields of corn, oats and hay are practically the same as they were forty years ago. The yields of potatoes have decreased and the yield of wheat increased. We may say, therefore, that our crop yields average as high as formerly. We will also see that the yields for the last ten-year period are much better than the preceding ten years.

TABLE A.

"AVERAGE YIELDS PER ACRE OF CROPS IN NEW YORK BY TEN

a All statistics as to crop yields and values per acre are taken from the Yearbook of the United States Department of Agriculture for 1908.

COMPARISON OF CROP YIELDS IN NEW YORK AND ILLINOIS The opinion is all but universal that we cannot grow as good crops as are grown in the west. For this comparison we have selected not the poorest nor even the average western state, but the one usually considered best-Illinois. In order to eliminate seasonal variations ten-year averages for the last forty years are taken. Each figure is, therefore, the average of the crop for ten

years.