The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-01-26
TWO DOLLAR WHEAT
This Price Will Hold For Some
Years.

a well advised commercial authority
gives it as his opinion, "as a slow 4
descent may be counted on in the
prices for grain when the war ends
it may take several years to restore
the worlds stock of foodstuffs to nor
mal-there is good ground for conf
dence in the outlook for rapid deyel-
opment in agriculture"
If this be correct, it follows that !.
the profession of farming will mate
rally increase it's ranks in the next
few years.
Today. the price of wheat is set by
the United States government at $3.50
per bushel, and In Canada the price
has been set at 1921. This, of course,
is less freight and handling charges
which brings the average to the farm
ers at about $500 per bushel. This
price will pay so long as land, mate
rial and labor can be secured at rea-
sOnable prices. 1t remains for the
Would-be producer to ascertain where
he can secure these at prices that will
make the production of grain profit
able. He will estimate what price he
can afford to pay for land that will give
at $500 per bushel, will return him
fair profit. Local and social condi-
lions will also enter into the conSidera-
ton. Finding what he wants he would
be wise to make his purchase now.
Land prices in some portions of the
country are low, certainly as low as
they will ever be. City property and
town property will f1uctuate, but farm
property will hold its own. The price
OF grain is as low as it will be for
some years. Therefore it would be
well to look about, and find what can
be done.
There are doubtless many opportu-
mites in the United States, especially
in the Western States. to purchase
good agricultural lands, that will pro-
duce well, at reasonable prices. If the
wOuld-be buyer has the time to inves-
tigate, and that is needed, for these
lands do not exist in any considerable
area, he would be well repaid. Not
only Will his land certainly increase in
value-the unearned increment would
be an asset-whiIe under cultivation he
can find nothing that will give better
results. He will at the same time be
act, one that would meet with the food
controllers plea to increase agricul-
tural production and assist in reducing
the deficit of % million bushels of
wheat reported by the controller.
In addition to the vacant lands in
the United States which should be
brought under cultivation, Western
Canada offers today the greatest area
of just the land that is required, and
at low prices-prices that cannot last
long. Even now land prices are in
creasing, as their value is daily becOm-
ing more apparent, and their location
desirable.
AS to the intrinsic value of land in
Western Canada, hundreds of concrete
cases could be cited, which go to
prove that at fifty and sixty dollars
per acre-figUres that have recently
been paid for improved farms = the
crops grown on them gave a profit of
from twenty to thirty per cent and
even higher, on such an investment.
One instance, is that of a young Eng
lishman, unaccustomed to farming be-
fore he took his seat on the Sulky
pillow with which he does most of his
work, after allowing himself 81 600 for
his own wages last year, made a profit
of $4,000 on a $4,000 investment. His
total sales amounted to $500 and his
expense, which included the $1,000
wages for himself, was $500. The
interest was 111A per cent.
To the man who does not care to
buy or who has not the means to pur-
chase, but possesses wealth in his own
hardihood, his muscle, and determine
ton, there are the thousands of free
homeSteads of which he may have the
pick on paying an entry fee of ten
dollars. These are high class lands
and adapted to all kinds of farming.
Send to your nearest Canadian Gov
eminent Agent for literature, descrip-
tive of the splendid opportunities that
are still open in Western Canada. Adv.