Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1908-08-18
iowa LAND AT
5000 Per ACRE
THIS WILL EVENTUALLY BE THE
PRICE ACCORDING TO sECRE-
TARY WILSON.

4NOOStNellS StDllcli uSCldI SS Illcil IoNo
land will eventually bring 5000 per
acre. This may strike some as an ex-
tremely rosy view of the situation, but
the secretary eiucidates his views and
reasons out the problem in a fairly
satisfactory manner. The occasion for
the expression of his views was i'll
response to a letter from E. E. Tay-
lor Traer, Iowa, editor of the Star
Clipper Secretary Wilson'S letter is
as follows:
Il have your letter in June in re-
gard to the value Of Tama county land
twenty five years from today. One
cannot tell what might happen to in
crease or depress the value of proper
ty at any time. This can be said:
The great crop of the country aftei
grass, is the cron crop, and Tana
county is in the corn belt. Our farm
ers have learned to rotate corn with
grass for pasture, and Tama county is
in the grass belt. The northwestern
farmers are prosperous; they invest
their surplus in lands because there Is
no danger in the investment as there
is In stocks that fluctuate and this has
had tendency to raise the price OF
lands. There are several influences
that have been at work, bearing upo2
this subject. The factory, the forest,
the mine and the railroad compete with
the farmer for help land have been
paying greater prices for it than the
farmer could afford.
THE result has been that meat bear
inc animals have not kept pace with
the growth of population, and conse-
quently have become dear, but the
farmer must do SO much of his own
work that the task is heavy one.
Free Cattle Affect Prices.
"The consumer feels this and is
complaining. The consumer and some
people are demanding that our ports
be opened to Canadian and South
American cattle. This would affect
the price of lands in Iowa. So that
public policies will have something to
do with the prices of land in the fu-
ture. The corn lands Of the country
are limited, and increase of the crop
must come from better farming. Our
farmers are learning to grow corn bet
ter every year. I never saw so GOOD
stand of corn as I observed on iatG
visit to Iowa.
con the other side of the problem
lands will be more desirable in the fI-
prepared for his life work The educa-
tional influences that are at work IN
the country, such as the department OF
agriculture, the state agricultural col
leges and the experimental stations,
the agricultural press, and general
mail delivery telephone, railroads,
trollies, ETC., are all contributing to-
wards a better knowledge Of the
science Of agriculture and cheaper
marketing. 1t can not be many years
until a young man leaving an agricul-
tural college, we'll grounded in the
science and practice of agriculture, will
see quite as good an opening on the
farm as in the city.
Iowa Soils.
"Our Iowa soils are very productive
and the sales of crops make money
lower rates of interest which raisei
the price of land. as investors are sat-
isfied with less income from the land
ventures than formerly, and the teno-
ency for lower percentage from land
investments will continue. The thiro
of the crop half a century ago was 81
much greater income from land than
So to So an acre now: SUBDIVISION OF
land into smaller holdings is inevitable
1t will result in better crops. greater
profits and higher priced. lands. In
tensive cultivation is the result of the
subdivision of land. The owner who
during the last half century has added
field to field may hold on to them dur
ing his life but it is rare that his
acres pass over to one heir, so time
works toward smaller and dearer
L
common asset. Churches, schools,
roads, bridges public buildings, groves,
nurseries, hedges, all make Iowa more
desirable to live in. All cost money
and have a tendency to raise lana
prices. The steady growth of the ed
ucation of heart, head and hand makes
our state more desirable to live in.
My neighbors have been adding to the
value Of my lands. They are still at
it. Every nice baby, girl, boy, we'll
behaved man and woman high schooi
graduate, college graduate added, stiff
fen the price Of our acres.
Draining Adds Value.
"Tile draining is adding greatly to
the value Of our lands. large per
cent were so saturated that corn would
not grow, and quite per cent have the
water level too near the surface during
a large portion of the growing season.
This Is being remedied and the heavy
lands are being laid under tribute.
1--WE are learning how to make good
pastures so that they yield grazing Of
some kind at all seasons This know
ledge will add greatly to our land
values. We understand the clovers
somewhat. but we know little yet OF
the alfalfa The southern farmer
grows COW peas by advice among his
corn to get nitrogen, and pasture for
his stock after his corn is out and re
moved. Iowa farmers do not save 10
per cent of their corn fodder, although
it is equal to timothy hay ton for ton.
They will when they want more re-
turns from smaller farms.
They May Double.
"Our lands have doubled in value III
the last twelve years. or from $50 u
s100 an acre in round numbers, What
will they sell for in the next twenty
five? The answer would be easy II
public policies IL the education of the
farmer, the Improvement Of the soil
the plant and the animal accumula-
tion of capital, reduction of interest
rates and other influences should con-
tinue. The price may double again
Prices of grains will not go back to the
low levels of decade ago. The home
market is enlarging as population in
creases and the outside world calls for
more food steadily. The United States
government is helping production by
| irrigating here and there; it is help
| ing production by suiting plants to dry
conditions, where irrigating waters
cannot reach, but these efforts are not
sufficient to keep land prices at old
levels. The hunger for homes will not
cease and good lands will attract home
makers from all good climes.-James