Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-01-28
THE CAPITAL REQUIRED TO
START A FARM.
An Investment Of $4,000 Would Yield
Good Return.

The question of how much capital is
required to start a farm will depend
largely upon the business ability of the
farmer that is to be. Some men trained
to modern business methods and in addi-
ton having had an agricultural college
education would find $4,000 sufficient.
while others would be unable to make
Roadway with twice that amount, 1t is
safe to say that $4,000 is the minimum
sum with which to start if there Is the
expectation of making any sort of re-
spectacle living for moderate family.
Taking $4,000 then, as a basis, the first
problem will be where to locate. In the
central states the price of suitable land
is almost prohibitive. bringing from $50
to s225 or more per acre. while the far
West is chiefly suitable for larger under
takings. In all probability the best
chance would be East of the Mississippi
| between slatitude rs and As, which en-
braces North Carolina. Tennessee. the
lower part Of Maine westward. including
New York the lower part of the Province
of Ontario, Canada, and the southern
half of Michigan and Wisconsin.
Throughout this section excellent farms
may be had for prices ranging from 80
to 800 an acre, including buildings.
| Before choosing one. however, the fol-
| lowing matters should be carefully con-
sidered; Proportion of capital to he in
vested In lands and buildings; amount to
| be spent on implements and stock; what
| the cash crops are to be; number of labor
| ers to be employed: particular markets TO
| be developed. To be on the safe side fl
nanclally, one-third of the capital should
go into lands and buildings one-third An
to stock and tools, and the balance re-
served for working capital. For the sum,
then, of 81, $40 cash. about 80 acres Of err
cellent farm land with buildings are to
be had in the section mentioned above.
Regarding the decision of what Is to be
raiSnd, thorough Investigation in the
nea Nst large city as to what products are
chiefly in demand is necessary In gen.
| eral way, however, 1t will be safe to put
down 1900 FOR tools as per the following
list Plough, SIS; disk harrow. sS "acme
| harrow" SIS; cultivator $685. manure
spreader. SIS; grain drill, $50: roller $50;
| corn planter, sl2; moving machine. one
horse s4; weeder, $l2; hay tredder, $40;
| ensilage cutter, $685. wagon. $74: portable
gasoline engine. $50; potato pillow. So;
spray pump, s32; hand wheel hoe, with
attachments, ST. farm harness (double),
$685. plow harness (doubie), 500; single har-
ness SIS; corn shelter, 81; grist mill, S3;
three hotbed sash, 50; axe, 81; Yrindstone,
81; manure and hayforks ~, $50 corn
! knives e. 70 cents; garden line and reel.
sl.15; hoes. (3), $50; wagon jack, $3.50;
automobile delivery car. second hand.
$3.50: ladder, $50; fr1n. ladder. SO, mat
took, sl.S5; steel bar. 50; garden and hay
| rakes. $3.50; saw and shears s170: scythe,
two blades, and stone, $780, bushel bas-
kets (2) $40 shovels (3), 81 anvil and
lviso, S. barn pals, brushes, blankets.
etc. $50; hose, $50; saws, hammers, nails,
| wire-cutters. etc, $l2.
This list will give the average farm
er a suitable supply Of proper tools with
which to start, and having paid $500 for
his 80 acres and buildings, with the sum-
spent for tools. he has a fair sum left for
lstock, etc Next week We will take up
the successful combinations of stock and
their probable cost.