Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1878-01-11

west the laws Justly discrimi-
nate against nonresident owners,
taxing such lands SO heavily as
often to force them on the mark
let, and nearly always enough to
take all the profits from holding.
We have therefore got down to
"hard pan" in estimating the
price of real estate. Whatever
increases in price is made must
follow real increase in value
and productive capacity. Land
is. and will be henceforth, worth
whatever sum it will pay inter
est on above the cost OF produc-
ing the crop. This may be un
favorable to landowners who
rely on speculative values tor
their profits, but it is just what
is wanted by the real working
farmers of the country.
While we may not look for
a large and sudden increase in
the speculative value of farms,
it is certain that improved con-
dition and greater productive
capacity, resulting from good
management. will not fail of
their reward. The farmer
who improves his land by heavy
manuring. understanding where
needed, and clearing it of weeds,
has this decided advantage, that
he does not need to sell in order
to reap the profit from his en-
terprise and forethousht. Judi
cious improvement of the soil is
always worth TO the owner
good deal more than it costs or
will sell for. Very many farm
ers can increase the productive
capacity of their farms 800 per
year by $500 expended in judi
cious understanding. Wherever
does this in New York. has for
$500 added more than 81, 400 to |
his working capital. In those
western states where money is
worth ten per cent, an improve
ment yielding 500 yearly is |
worth ten times that sum to |
keep, ii not to sell. Whatever
possible all the profits of the
farm should be yearly invested
in improvements such as these.
Nothing wild or can pay SO well
as increasing the productive
capacity OF the soil. On poor or
wet land, all the labor Of pre-
pairing the ground, planting or
sowing the crop, Is poorly re-
quilted; while, if the land is i'm
proved, as it could and should
be, it will yield a profit. With
a crop of twelve bushels of
wheat per acre, nothing is lett
after paying the cost of produc-
ton. Increase the crop to thir-
ty bushels per acre, and all the
surplus above twelve bushels
makes the rental value OF the
soil. In one case the land is
worth nothing to hold
on its present condition for pro-
ducing wheat. In the other
case the land is worth what the
price of eighteen bushels OF
wheat win pay the interest on.
These figures are only approx
but they show clearly
enough the principle involved. ,
Other conditions viii modify
the result. Land that produces
thirty bushels OF wheat per acre t
must be kept up to that produc- l
tive capacity or such chopping {
will speedily decrease the value $
Of the land tar more than the {
profits. On the other hand the l
owner of poor land may be do G
ing better than his richer neigh S
Dor, if the farm OF the first is G
constantly growing richer and
that of the other less fertile. As
, rule, however, it is perfectly
safe to say that poor land tends
10 grow poorer, while, except n
under bad management, rich i
'oil is apt to increase in fer L
.ility. t
Ii needs a good farmer and a e
nan with plenty of capital to q
axe poor land and build it up v
nto a fertile and profitable t
arm. 1t will take years, be- "
ides good deal of money TO t
make poor land productive and a
profitable. No poor man can t
lfford to buy such land. lie II
reeds a farm on which he can Y
It once begin TO make money. t
This reverses the usual course t.
'ut it only shows that in farm u
ng as in everything else, the +
'oor never do or can make so t
,ood bargains as their richer S
Solomon said thou Il
ands OF years ago that the de- II
trnction of the poor is their s
'overty. 1t is just as true now 81
S when uttered. and is especial h
y true in farming. IT
"Too much land" is the great a
bstacle TO Improvement in d
american farming. Increase OF is
and increases labor and all cx- y
ense. including taxes, while it n
oes not always increase the al
reduction Many a farmer W
tho has bought an additional al
fly, or one hundred acres,
vuld have realized far more of