The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-04
FARMING RISES
TO NEW DIGNITY
Land Has Steadily Grown in
Value
CHEAP LAND is EXHAUSTED
Mr.. Holmes Has Collected Some IN
usually Interesting Figures Affect
ing the Agricultural Interests
of the United States.
CHEAP LAND is EXHAUSTED

Washington, September S.-(SpeciaD.-
According to Mr.. George X Holmes,
chief of the division OF foreign markets
of the department of agriculture, evil
dences of prosperity among the farmers
of the United States have been multiply
ing in recent years and assuming an i'm
portance in the world of finance and
trade transportation and manufactures
which has attracted worldwide attention
The free or cheap land of the United
States and of the states and railroads has
become substantially exhausted in the
supply for cultivation without irrigation.
The exhaustion of such land has been
reached so suddenly that 1t has given a
sort of a shock to the whole economic
structure of agriculture. Accompanying
this has been the continued gain of
urban upon agricultural population, so
that, although the quantity and value of
agricultural exports have remained at a
high figure. there has ben continuing
readjustment and gain of demand upon
supply until farmers apparently have at
last reached an indefinite period of fairly
remunerative If not high prices
New and Higher Dignity.
In consequence of these profound in
fluences upon the financial condition of
farmers farming has assumed a new and
higher dignity. Farmers have extin-
guished their old debts; they have ac-
cumulated SURPRISES and become deposit
tors in banks and the owners of bank
stocks; they have bought more land, not
only agricultural land but real estate
in the towns and they have sent their
savings to distant states for investment
in agricultural lands. At the same time
the town investor has had his attention
excited by the new situation, and he has
thrown upon the country real estate mar
ket vast sums for Investment
In this connection, however Mr.. Holmes
says it should not be inferred that this
movement is one of mere speculation.
Speculation, it seem, plays small part
In the movement. For the most mart
there Is a genuine capitalization to sustain
the higher values which have been real
lied during the last six years There has
been gradual and steadfast improve
ment in the practice of farming-it would
hardly be too much to say, in the art of
science and farming. Every Improvement
in practice has signified increased net
profit
agriculture in view and suspecting large
effects upon land values, an investigation
of changes in these values since the CEN
sus of 1900 has been undertaken. Several
months ago a schedule was prepared by
the department and sent to nearly $1,000
correspondents of the bureau of statistics,
some of them representing counties 9TH
ers parts of counties, and stir others
townships.
Qualifications Not Questioned.
In the aggregate these correspondents
represent substantially every agricultural
neighborhool in the United States. Their
qualifications for reporting upon changes
In land values cannot reasonably be ques-
toned. They are prominent men of their
religions: men of unusual intelligence; they
are observant men; they are reasonably
conservative and possess good Judgment
For the purpose of the investigation
the census classification of farms accord
ing to principal source of income was
adopted. The rule of the 1900 census was
that If at least two-ffths or more of it's
gross income was derived from some par
ticular product or group of products the
farm was to be classified as having sucn
principal source of income. For instance,
a farm deriving two-fifths or fore of its
gross income from cotton was regarded as