Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-01-09
ATTENTION GIVEN
TO SOUTHERN
FARMING LANDS
GREAT FLOW OF IMMIGRATION
Expected in This Direction
Shortly

Washington, D. c., January SAC
cording to officials and experts in the
United States department of agricul-
ture, the people of the southern states
should prepare for a great flow of re-
turn immigration from the north end
west into that section during the last
half of the present decade
The last decade, ending with 1910,
showed a decided migration of agri-
cultural population to the west and
northwest This migration was en-
phasized in a marked increase in land
values in those sections. 1t is sig
niticant in this connection that land
values were not reduced parceptibly
during the same period in the eastern
states, Indeed, it is pointed out by
the prophets of the department that
the increase in southern land values
already has begun to show strongly.
Here are some of the figures: The
increase in farm land values in the
north for the ten years was 1912 per
cent; in the south the increase for
the same period was 1913 per cent.
In the west the increase was 203.5 per
cent
The increase in farm values in the
south, which is equal to about 10 per
cent per year, is looked upon as most
encouraging by those who are inter
ested in the development of that sec
ton 1t is looked upon as the begin
ming of even greater things for the
south.
During the past few years the adj
yantages offered in the south for all
kinds Of agricultural development are
being appreciated and have begun to
attract high. class immigrants from the
northern sections Of the country. It
is expected that the exodus of these
people to the south, which has begun
already win increase to enormous
proportions during the present decade.
Indeed there is already noted a ten
idency on the part of people who form
erly sought new homes in the broad
northwest to return and go south.
Long, hard winters, and high prices
for land in the northwest are driving
many to seek the mild climate and
| the cheap lands of the south.
When the advantage of climate
long seasons, fertility of soil, health,
cheapness of land and many other
things are understood, the south will
reap a rich harvest of new Industrial
blood
Had these advantages been known
at the beginning of the last decade the
story of the development of the west
would have been the glory of the south
instead
Practical and speculative men of
business and finance have begun to
| appreciate the value of farm lands as
an investment No other commodity
offers a safer or more profitable re-
turn on the money invested. The in
crease for the past ten years for the
United States in farm lands We're
1881 per cent This equals almost u
per cent per annum on the value Of
the land alone The amount of income
from the cultivation of the land de-
rrnds entirely upon the man who
does the work Ii the lands are rent
ed or leased, there is the added OPP
portunity for a steady and sure in
come.
1t is natural to suppose that the
largest increases in land values during
the next ten yeards will come where
land is now cheapest, all other con-
ditiona being normal Conditions in
the south are more than normal They
only remain to be discovered and APP
preciated, The discovery is now be-
ing made and the country is fast COM
ing to appreciate.
Government experts who have
made personal examination and eX-
periments are preaching the posi-
bilities Of the south from every stump
and through almost every public doc
ument issued from the department
Those practical farmers who have
tried the lands of the south have
been successful, many of them mark
eddy so, and are writing back to their
neighbors. Their neighbors are fol-
lowing In these communities land
values are already leaping upward by
bounds There are communities in the
south where lands in five years have
pumped from $40 and SIS per acre to
more than 500. Instances of this can
be found in almost every state in the
south.
Keep your mouth shut and you won't
Ibaya IN ant NvntIr words