Middletown transcript., 1869-01-16
Farming Lands near New York.

The prices at which cultivablc land is
sold, within an area of fifty miles round
about New York city, depends so much on
the locality, that it is impracticable to as
sure stranger how much per acre one must
pay for good land, hero or there, unless
the immediate locality is known, and 9TH
er circumstances which affect the price of
land are taken into the account. Near
ness to a railroad, or close proximity to
water communication, in all instances ex-
erts more influence in giving high price
on land than any other one consideration.
The area of country just designated would
embrace large tract on Long Island, of
as excellent farming land as can be found
in any other direction from New York, the
price for which will vary from S15 per
acre to $1,000. Within the circuit of fif-
ty miles from New York, on Long Island,
there are large number of truck" farms,
on which cabbage, turnips, and potatoes
are the chief products. By means of ex-
cellent cultivation, for many years these
farms have been brought into such pro-
ductive state, that every acre will pay the
interest of $500 to $500 per annum.
Then, round about those very farms, land
equally valuable, naturally, can be pur-
chased for $15 to 500 per acre, and at all
intermediate prices, between $40 and $500
per acre. Fair farming land will proba-
bly, sell, on an average, in this locality,
for about $50 to 800 per acre, including
cheap improvements. Round Mineola,
Hampstead, fslip, and many other locali-
ties on the Island, Improved farms are
held at prices quite too exorbitant for ag-
ricultural purposes-say from $50 to 5000
per acre, accordingto to the state of cultiva-
tion, and nearness to railroad depot or
boat-landing, while adjoining such land
as may be held at the highest figures mem
toned, unimproved farms of as choice soil,
naturally, as can be found on the Island,
can be obtained for $40 to $40 per acre.
There are vast tracts of unimproved land
lying right at the baek-door of Brooklyn,
which has long been held by spectators,
and which can be purchased molo, at low
er prices-say $50 to $50 per acre-than
were fixed on it several years ago. Then,
as we cross over into Connecticut, and pass
into Westchester county, where there are
thousands of acres of rough, rocky, and
broken land, that does not pay one per
cent. interest, the price varies, from $40
to 5000 per acre. Probably most of the
sales are made at about $3.50 per acre,
while parts of farms are frequently sold at
$50 to $50 per acre in some places, and
in others $500 per acre, and $1,000 are
paid for small farms, which are to be ap-
propriated to the ordinary purposes of ag-
riculture and horticulture On the west
side of the Hudson river, in Rockland
county, and in the northern part of New
Jersey, improved farms, lying from two to
three miles from some railroad, or canal,
OF river, will sell for fabulous prices-say
$500 to $1,000 per acre. In some instan-
ces, the land will pay the interest of such
large prices. But for the most part, the
real income is not three per cent. on the
aggregate valuation. All over this area
of one hundred miles in diameter, with
New York at the centre, there are thous-
ands of acres of excellent soil which lie
idle, for want of proper system of farm
management. Then, as we 60 south into
New Jersey, some farms, where the soil
is in high state of cultivation, cannot be
purchased for $1,000 per acre. And such
land does pay better, even at the high
price, than money at interest But most
of the land is bought and sold at about $50
to $3.50 per acre. At the southern part
of our described area of country, we find
very large tracts of superior land of
great variety Of soil, which is bought and
sold with limited improvements, at about
$40 to $100 yer acre; while all over this
section, new villages are springing up,
around which inferior land can be pur-