Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-09-11
English Farm Lands.

am not surprised that an Austria
lian farmer in your issue of July 5
should express surprise at my state
ment. namely. that the net rents that
We receive from our estates do NOT
exceed between 3 and per cent. on
the actual hard cash spent by the
landowners on farmhouses, outbuiid-
ings, cottages, improvements. repairs
water supply, roads, drainage. hedges
and bitches. The balance sheet for
this favored Midland estate from
March, 1912, TO March, 1918, is now in
my hands, and the figures bear out
the above statement. Let me put il
in another way. out of every f110
in rent that ! receive PAY away about
e445 in income tax, rates.. tithes,
wages and materials AS ! manage
my own estate. ! pay no management
expenses, and We are right careful not
TO be guilty of any unnecessary ex-
travagances. Financially. the posses
sion of an agricultural estate is fool
ishness, and if had not inherited this
estate, and did not its management
afford me work and interest, and did
not / feel that ] am spending my in
come in more useful manner than
If / were TO spend IL in crowded
center. ! would sell and retire a richer
man. But that beautiful SAYING stays
my hand. Man does not live by bread
alone and the experience of my life
has confirmed its truth -s
The Australian farmer is quite out
in saying that estates in this country
sell for c 80 an acre. Some few close
or, nj. n
suitable for intensive garden culture
or with prospective building in sight,
may fetch that figure. but they are
exceptions. Between e 20 and rs an
acre is nearer the mark. should
deem il favorab BILE purchase If /
could obtain G 80 an acre for this es-
tate and the estate is in all respects
well above the average. The average
rent of this estate works out at about
25s an acre and out of that has to be
deducted all expenses, which makes
the net rent received about 15s an
acre, and if this were capitalized it
would not exceed say, per cent. On
the hard cash spent by the landowners
on this estate. 1t is difficult to get at
the profits that the farmers are maxi
ing, because the majority do not keep
accounts. / think II do not assert it,
that with good seasons and average
prices, and if he lives in moderate
manner, a skilful farmer may out OF
his farm pay all his domestic expenses
and make in addition per cent. 'on
his capital. In average years he may
make 2H per cent, but in years such
as the last and the year before that
he is a clever farmer and good man.
ager if he makes both ends meet.
Successful. farming in this country for
the average man, and under favorable
conditions, means long practical expe.
rience, hard work, clever management,
and careful personal living. Some
times farming is heart breaking work.
man spends thought, money and
labor in obtaining clean, good land and
a good crop. and then toward harvest
the sun refuses to shine and the rain
continues without mercy, and the dis
appointment is enough TO break
mans heart. l have watched and
noted it for years. Owing to the free
importation of all foodstuffs, and the
tussle with the tickle climate. a farmer
can never forecast the quality of stuff
he may harvest nor the price he will
get for his produce. The whole agri-
cultural position, rents. wages, cot
tages, cultivation and marketing. re-
quires placing on sounder and more
rational basis. The problem for the
reformation of the countryside Is a
mighty intricate one to tackle, and il
will require a much longer head than
mine to suggest a practical solution
Spectator.
.---J