The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-03-19
POOR MAN ADVISED
TORRENT FARM LAND
Dean of Missouri College of
Agriculture Advocates
Tenantry.
CALLS 1T CHEAPER
TO RENT THAN OWN
Preference Given to Property
Several Miles From
Any City.

KANSAS CITY, March 19.-"It is
much cheaper to rent land in Missouri
today than il is TO own a farm" said
+ p. Mumford, dean Of the College Of
Agriculture Of the University of Mis-
souri,, I'm a lecture on Buying a Farm"
What we need in this State is the de-
veIOpment of a high class of tenantry.
The best farmers in England, where
skillful farmers are IN abundance, are
tenant farmers. Tenantry is not a step
In the direction Of poverty. il is a first
step in land ownership. 1t is impossible
for a man without money to buy land
and stock 1t IL the way it should be.
But any man can rent land, and make
money of Of his investment. That is
the reason ar urging all of my stu
dents 70 rent farms until the time when
rent gets so high it viii be impracticable
10 do so. Rent for farm land is cheap
now
Dean Mumford showed that the
American nation has been the best fed
of any in the world. but he said the
time was approaching when many
Will suffer for food, for the food sup
ply now is about equal to the demand.
Up 10 the present time, he said, the
farmers have been in a ruinous COM
petition They have raised fOodstuffs
regardless Of the demand for them,
and the prices have been lowered to a
great degree. Corn has sold for 10
But that time has passed, he says.
Land is now a more desirable COM
modify
Three Important Factors.
in agricultural production there
are three important factors-land,
capital, and labor. But of these, land
is the most important. I0 has been
disregarded as factor because of
its abundance. But land now is be-
ginning 10 approach its real value
a land buyer Of 100 years ago was
safe in buying land anywhere at any
price. Land in Missouri has been
bought for $3.50 an acre, and is sold
tor 500 an acre, at the present time"
The fertility of the land is a great
factor IN the economic value of land.
The richer the land. the greater Will
be the profit from cultivation.
1t costs no more 10 bring an acre
to harvest yielding sixty bushels than
one yielding thirty \ skillfu farmer
who knows anything about agriculture
can Increase the prOdUCtiVeneSs of Door
er soil, he can almost double the Weld
Some Of the richest land in the world
Is along the hill regions of the Mis-
souri, and Mississippi rivers, but IL is
less valuable than prairie land as il is
much harder TO work"
Proximity Increases Value.
In regard 20 the matter Of buying a
farm near the city. Dean Mumford
said farm one mile from a town was
worth about twice as much as one i've
or six miles away, IN intrinsic value
But it IS best, he said, TO buy a farm
six or even ten miles from any town,
as the land is richer and cheaper.
The amount Of improved land Is
another factor. he said, in buying a
farm The average farm in Missouri
Is about l2O acres, but only about sew
enty-iive Of this is tillable.
The presence of rural social inStItu-
tons, such as schools, chUrche~, farm
erS' clubs and similar - Eaniza tons is
another very important factor in land
value said Dean MumfOrd. The Sc
TIouS question 10 day is the decaCence
Of rural social Institutions. The re-
establishment Of them is absolutely
necessary
In regard to labor. he said. il a far
mer could get all the efficient labor he
needed, he could increase his yield %
per cent.
Speaking Of ne size Of the farm 70
buy or rent he said 1t was not possible
Tor man lacking knowledge OF agrf-
culture 10 make a generous living on a
small 1arm- a modern farmer. he said
cannot farm without improved machiu-
cry. And the best machines cannot be
owned by a small farmer as the cost is
too high.