The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-26

ers travel and select their lands. After
they have bought they usually secure a
contract for a deed by paying about 10
per cent. of the purchase price in cash
and the balance on or before the first
of the next succeeding March, when
full warranty deed is given and possess
this they settle down to the solid bust
ness of farming and planning their
| work in the hope of a fruitful harvest.
1t is noticeable fact that the ma
jority of sales are for cash.
The buyers who are scattering out
| like an army inspecting land are
/ hOmeseekers, and intend to settle and
make homes of their new possessions.
They come from Iowa, Missouri, Texas,
| Oklahoma and southern Nebraska,
where they have sold out or have been
renting lands. The older men who are
selling land are as class moving to
county seat towns to settle and liv on
/ the competency obtained by the sale
/ of their lands, and the young or mid
/ die aged class who are selling are re-
/ investing and moving to adjoining
counties or other states.
1t is noticeable in the purchases now
making that the tendency is in the di-
rection of small tracts containing from
so to 800 acres. During the boom years
/ of the sos there was a large transfer or
land. AT that time there was much
+ ranch property which contained hun
dreds and in many cases thousands OF
acres of land. This class of property
t has IlOl yet I0lI the TOUCH Oh lHC new
movement, and probably will be among
the last to sell as now constituted. If
these large tracts were SubdiVided and
placed on the market in smaller parcels
their sale probably would be assured.
The tendency and sentiment of late
years has been for citizen ownership.
Large ranch properties are generally
owned by non-residents, and as long as
they are so held the tenancy will retard
the full development of the country.
1t is difficult to predict how high the
present price of land may go. With
land in Kansas capable of producing
corn, wheat, oats, rye, alfalfa, katflr
corn, English bluegrass, and in fact al
most every kind of cereal and grass
that is raised in the same latitude, 1t
would not seem exaggerated to pred1ct
that prices in central Kansas counties
and in those bordering on the sixth
principal meridian will soon equal prices
obtained in northeastern Kansas and
southeastern Nebraska Prices in west
ern Kansas are steadily advancing, and
to this section are going many young
men who have been residents in the old
er and more populous sections Of Kan
sas. Prices there range from 50 to $40
an acre and on this investment has been
yielding great returns during the last
two or three years when Sown in wheat.
1t has come to be matter OF general
knowledge that the citizenship OF the
territory participating in this movement
has been greatly benefited by the incom-
ing of land buyers. The poor and shifuess
farmer has been weeded out, and neither
gone out of the business of farming or
moved to some other locality, and more
prosperous and better fitted successors
have taken his place. This class of far
mers is becoming more proficient in its
calling than ever before, and is receiving
help from the United States department
of agriculture. This bureau issues bulle-
tins that may be had for the asking on
every conceivable subject of interest to
a farmer The agricultural colleges and
stations throughout the country are also
active in the effort to aid the farmer and
get good results.
New and improved forms of machinery
are constantly introduced, new meth
odsnew grass seeds and new cereals have
been distributed. Conditions have been
more thoroughly studied than ever before.
There has been a combination of intelli-
gent study and fruitful application re-
sulting in the raising of larger crops than
was ever believed possible.