Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-13
SALES or CENTRAL IOWA FARMS
UNDER PURCHASE FIGURES
ENTIRELY UNKNOWN.
TWO HUNDRED PER ACRE LAND
PAYS IN GOOD CROP YEARS
Albion Nsishborhood Gaining as a
Fruit Growing Community and To-
matoss Thrive on "Sand Ridas'-Dos
Acts 40 Mail carrisr-c. e. Wilson's
Rural Observations.
pecia: to Times Republican.

Albion, May 13.-Whenever a farm
sale in an Iowa community establishes
a record breaking price there follows
more or less speculation on the wisdom
Of the purchase and the probability of
the new owner being able to make his
investment pay future dividends. 1t is
interesting to observe the outcome Of
some Of these deals where the observer
has the opportunity of noting. from
year to year, the results. The constant
and rapid advance in prices in lat.
years has made practically every land
purchase in this state a profitable one
for the buyer, no matter if he pays
more than the place is worth the day
he acquires possession of it, providing
he kept his nerve" and held on awhile.
Few men in this state have sold land
except at a higher price than that
which they paid. The profitable culti-
walton Of these farms in the meantime
is quite another proposition.
this locality changed hands at $3.50
&c
bought land, not improvements. The
former was first class in as good
farming country as there is in this
state; the latter was about third rate.
The price paid was the highest up to
that date and possibly to the present
time. Last week the owner told what
the farm did for him the first and sec
ond years after he bought 1t.
In 1911 he planted about eighty acres
Of the 100 to corn; thirteen was sowed
to oats and the remainder was yards.
grove, etc. The buildings were rented
for IS per month. the corn averaged
better than eighty bushels per acre
and the oats were extra good. Prices
for grain were high and the total in
come from the farm was 1888. De-
Quoting labor and other expense Incl
dent to the operation Of the farm. also
the taxes, there remained about $500
clear gain, or sum that equals the in
terest at about 10 per cent on the $19.-
900 that the place cost. Last year
grain prices were lower and the income
was not so great. OF course this kind
Of management would run the farm
down in a few years SO that no such
returns would be realized and a rea-
son of poor crops would also change
results. This is intended to demon
strate, however, that there is some-
thing, sometimes. besides the advance
in the price Of land, for the purchaser,
even tho the price be up around the
5000 mark. =,
Three rural school districts have
been consolidated with that Of the
town of Albion and altho some strong
opposition was met when the change
was made several years ago, it is said
that nearly every man who opposed
the plan then favors it now. Taxes are
somewhat higher than formerly but the
benefits are even more apparent. One
man with several children attending
school sees enough difference in his
overshoe bill to help out in the matter
of tax increase. The farthest family
from the school lives only three miles
away and this fact doubtless accounts
largely for the success Of the plan.
The s.luck" with two farmers near
Melbourne with young pigs this spring
may be taken as extremes and the
average Of the two would indicate
about the usual supply for this section
The first began to notice the new ar
rivals early one Monday morning and
by noon the next day he could count
102 of the little fellows. For time
the attendants" could go out and
pick up a basketful Of pigs almost
anywhere around the buildings. The
other man had forty sows and did not
succeed in saving single pig.
The vicinity Of Albion will become
famous as fruit growing region II the
present gait of development In TINS
line is kept up awhile longer. Straw
berry patches are not considered OF
respecta BILE extent here unless they
contain an acre or more. one man
has set II 900 plants this year. On
what Is known as the sand ridge
southeast of the little town there is
tomato producing section too. 1t is
said that more than 100000 plants will
be nut out in the neighborhood. One
man has put in a small canning plant
of his own and last year put up about
500 cases or 10000 cans of tomatoes
besides a lot Of corn.
Ed Miller, stock and grain dealer of
Melbourne, does not live in city but
he nevertheless enjoys one Of the adj
of city life, namely, delivery
of mail at his office. The name of the
carrier is Carlo and his appearance
plainly indicate shepherd descent. The
morning package Is delivered at the
office most every morning and If any
one is inside scratching on the door
tells that the postman has arrived. If
no one is in just then Carlo deposits
the package on the ground and lies
down near it until somebody comes
If any outsider happens along he is
not likely to tamper with the bundle,
particularly IL he happens to be rough
eve A1s ncf9s