Evening journal., 1893-07-26
WHAT ONE ACRE WILL YIELD.
The Limit Probably Reached by Land In
New York,s First Ward.

New Aorks FIRST ward.
An acre of land is 4.s40 square yards, OF
1880 square feet. II is the ordinary meas
ure of ground among farmers and surveyors,
but the earning capacity of acres varies
considerably. About the simplest use. in
volving the least skill asa labor to which
an acre Of land may be put is to the grow
ing of trees upon it. This requires no
capital, but patience, and yields on the
average s. p per acre a year. Then there
are the fruits of husbandry and farming.
gained through toll and cultivation. and
greatest of course in the rolling prairies OF
virgin lowlands of the west and northwest.
But taking farming lands nearer home,
in New York state, these are found to be
the net returns per acre: Rye, $3.50; oats,
Sll; wheat, Si5; barley, S17; corn, SIS; peas,
S67; sweet potatoes, S55; spinach, $50; wa.
termelons, ISL; grapes, Sl22; currants, Sl2O;
cabbage, Sl33; beets, $50; peaches, $50;
strawberries, $50; tomatoes, Sl65; musk.
melons, Sl5s; asparagus, SlS3, and celery,
SPA The adaptability Of the land for such
products varies, and the value of an acre
corresponds with such variance. The per
ishable crops are subject to great damage
and require usually more cultivation and
greater care.
Taking 10 feet as the average width Of
railroad bed, 4356 feet Of track would com.
prise, stretched out in a straight line, an
acre Of land. This is more than four-fifths
of mile of railroad. The portion of the
Pennsylvania road between New York and
Philadelphia is generally acknowledged
among railroad men to have the largest
gross earnings of any in the world, with the
two exceptions of the New York elevated
and the London underground. But taking
as fairer for the purpose, the whole Penn.
sylvania system, it is found that the annual
gross receipts amount to about $1,000 ,OOC
for the $500 miles Of track operated Of
this total S37, 100000 is net receipts. In
other words, this railroad system earns
$4,000 a mile net, or 81, 500 an acre, and
the latter figure may be given as the high.
est earning capacity of an acre of land given
over to railroad transportation This is o
high figure. 1t is greater than the gains
from either forestry or husbandry, but il
shrinks into unimportance compared with
the revenue yielded by an acre Of New York
city real estate.
The area of New York city, including the
two wards beyond the Harlem river, is
nearly $4,000 acres. That tranquil stream
divides territorially the town into two al.
most equal parts, there being 1856 acres
south and 12,3l7 acres north of it. The
most valuable part of the city OF New York
is the First ward, lying south of Liberty
street and Maiden lane and covering 154
acres. The assessed value of its real estate
Is Ss9,OOOOOO. When to this is added th,
value of land exempt from taxation, which
is S26, 600 900, and allowance is made for the
difference between assessed and the actua
values, it appears that the real estate Of
this territory is worth not less than Sl55,
100000, or at the rate of q, 100000 an acre.
which is probably larger than the value Of
any other piece Of real estate in the United
States. At per cent on the amount OF
capital represented the annual revenue
from real estate in the First ward Of the
city of New York is $4,000 year per acre.
That is the highest point, and these, then,
are the figures; Forest land, s. % an acre
farming land, $50 to $50; railroad bed.
$4,000; New York real estate, business sec.
ton, S5O,O00.-New York sun.