Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-08-13
Secretary of Agriculture Pre-
diets Iowa Land Will Greatly
Increase in Value
WORTH DOUBLE IS YEARS HENCE
Not the Danger in Land Investment
That There is in stoeks-Affirma
tive Answer to Question Easy, if
Certain Public Official. Bearing on
the Subject, Continue.

Traer, Aug. 13.---ln letter publlShed
in the tStar-Cltpper, Secretary of Agri-
culture Wilson takes a very rosy view
of the future of Iowa land values.
The occasion for the expression Of
his views was in response to a letter
from e. E. Taylor, Traer, Iowa, editor
of the Star-Clipper. Secretary Will
sons letter is as follows:
II have your letter In June In re-
gard to the value Of Tama county
land twenty-five years from to-
day One cannot tell what might
happen to increase or depress the value
of property twenty-five years hence,
yet this can be said, that the great
crop of the country, after grass, is the
corn crop, and Iowa is in the corn
belt. Our farmers have learned to
rotate corn with grass for pasture
and a large part of the state is in the
grass belt. The northwestern farmers
are prosperous; they invest their sur
plus in lands. because there is no
danger in the investment as there Is
in stocks that nuctuate, and this has
tendency to raise the price of lands.
There are several influences that have
been at work bearing upon this sub
ject. The factory, the forest, the mine
and the railroad compete with the
farmer for help, and have been paying
greater prices for 1t than the farmer
could afford. The result has been that
meat bearing animals have not kept
pace with the growth of population,
and consequently have become dear.
but the farmer must do so much OF
his own work that the task IS
heavy one. The consumer feels this
and is complaining. The consumer
and some people are demanding tnat
our ports be opened to Canadian ana
South American cattle This would al
feet the price of lands in Iowa, so that
public policies will have something TO
do with the prices Of land IN the flu
ture. The corn lands Of the country
are limited. and increase from the
crop must come from better farming.
Our farmers are learning to grow bet
ter corn every year. / never saw SO
good a stand Of corn rs l observed on
a late visit to Iowa. On the other size
Of the problem, lands will be more de-
sirable in the future, as the young
farmer is better prepared for MS me
work The educational influences that
are at work in this country, such as
the department Of agriculture, the
state agricultural colleges and expef-
iment stations, the agricultural press
and general mail delivery, telephones
railroads, trolleys, ETC., are all con
a hotter KNOWLEDGE
Of the sciences Of agriculture ana
cheaper marketing. 1t cannot be many
wears until a young man leaving an
AGRICULTURAL college, we'll grounded IN
the science and practice OF agriculture
will see quite as good an opening OH
the farm as in the city. oul
soils are very productive ana
the sales Of crops makes money
more abundant This is result
ing in lower rates OF interest, which
raise the price of land, as investors are
satisfied with less income from lanu
ventures than formerly, and the ten
,lencv for lower percentage from ianu
Investments will continue. The third OF
tha crop a half century ago, was a
much better income from land than
from three to five dollars an acre IS
now.
.Sub- division of land into smaller
holdings is inevitable. 1t will result IN
better crops, greater profits and Nigh
or priced land Intensive cultivation
! is the result of sub division IN iana.
The owner who, during the last hail
| century. has added field to teld, may
| hold on to them during his ife but IL
is rare that his acres pass over TO one
| heir. SO time works toward smailer
/ and dearer farms. Public improve
,nants are a common asset. Churches,
schools. roads, bridges, public build
;nps groves. nurseries and hedges all
make Iowa more desirable to live In.
T All, cost money and have tendency
to raise land prices. The STEADY CROWN y
/ Of education of heart, head and hand
makes our state more .deslfaple 10 i've
in. NV neighbors have been AIDING 10
the value of my lands. They are SUI,
at it. Every nice baby, girl or BOY, wei,
behaved man or woman, hlgh scnoo'
/ graduate, college graduate aoaeu'
! stiffens the price of our acres Lis
Isdraining is adding greatly to the value
4 of our lands A large per cent were so
saturated that corn would not grow,
and quite a per cent have the water
lnve1 too near the surface during a
large. cportion of the growing season.
lThis is being remedied and the heavy
lands are being laid under tribute. we
are learning how to make. good past
ures so that they yield grazing of some
plant at all seasons. This knowledge
/ will add greatly to our LAND
,,.lnes We understand the
| c,overs somewhat, but we kno"
little. as vet Of the alfalfa. The south
ern farmer grows cow peas by advlce
among his corn to get nitrogen, ano
nast11re for his stock after his corn Is
ont and removed Iowa farmers do no.
save 10 per cent of their corn foouer
altho it is equal to timothy hay. tor
for ton. They will, when they wan
more returns from smaller farms.
orr lands have doubled in value, II
the last twelve years, or from $50 to
500 an acre in round numbers. VIVA
/ win they sell for in the next twenty
fve2 The answer would be easy II the
public policies, the education of thf
farmer. the Improvement OF the sou
the plant and the animal accumuiatlos
of capital, reduction OF interest rates
and other influences should continue
The price may double again. Prices O
grain will not go back to the level o
la decade ago The home market is en-
larging as the population increases
and the outside world calls for more
food steadily. The United States gov.