The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-01-21
Vermont to Offer Excellent
Opportunities to Men
Out of Service
mo BIG TRACTS
ARE AVAILABLE
But Good Land Can be Bought at Prices
That Make it Extremely Attractive
Why Westerners Should be Favorably
Impressed by Farms in This State.

MONTPELIER, Jan 2l.--Last Oc-
ober Gov. H. F. Graham appointed Z.
s. Brigham, state commissioner of a9ri.
aulture, and F. III. Bickford. state farm
labor agent, to represent Vermont on
y New England committee to present
% Secretary of the Interior Lane the
opportunities which exist in New Eng.
land for returning soldiers. The New
aon and G. L. Martin of Plainfield were
appointed as additional delegates to
this conference.
The question of interest to the >peo-
lie of Vermont is-How does Vermont
fit into the plan of Secretary Lanes
The plan outlined in the secretary : re-
oort contemplates that the federal
| government and the state government,
n cooperation, will purchase tracts of
waste land in 5000 acres or more, in
| ,luding swamps which need drainage,
| iced reclamation; that these tracts
| will lie reclaimed and made into small
Farms so that soldiers NAV be eolonized
thereon. having about 100 farms in
/ .achtcolony.
1t was the opinion of the Vermont
| committee. and so communicated to
he federal authorities, that this state
has no tracts of 5000 acres or more in
| me block which would lend themselves
| ~eadilv to this plan of the secretary
0ut that Vermont does offer to the re.
urning soldier the best possible oppor.
unity for acquiring a home on the
land.
| During the first year of the war, 4
census was taken of two blocks of SIX
owns each in two sections of the state
1 me being located in the Champlair
tvallev and the other IN 4 more billy
section. The question was asked 81
| Zach farmer: - Is your farm for sale?
| An average of 90 per cent replied il
he affirmative. This illustrates that VI
| ave in the state many farms whicl
| IRE on the market
An investigation has shown that tn
7rces of these farms will not exceed
many cases. what il would cost t,
4 cpldCt tue now Duitt. lHStf
forc, the returning soldier may find il
Vermont an opportunity to acquire
farm ready to occupy. with land clearei
i which may he bought for less none.
4 han it would cost under present con
!. | 1itions to make but a portion of tn
/ improvements which have already bee
| made
The committee believes that the bes
| procedure for Vermont is to take
| census of the farms which we have fo
| ale. preferably through the listers mex
: | April, and 10 have, the agricultural do
: ! nartment investigate such farms an
| ascertain such facts about them !,
, prospective purchasers would desire I
2 know. Then the publicity department
; Of the state should advertise thes
? farms in such way that they will /
, brought 70 the attention of the return
!, ING soldier and such assistance in til
way of advice on the part of the stat
hould be given to the returning So
| ier so that he may secure good tit
| % his land and so that he will hn Il
{ Gated IN such way that there will |
: 4 possibility for hfm to succeed.
II Not only should this opportunity al
: | peal 10 the returning solulefS, out Az
= 20 Young farmers in the West. whel
!. land has now reached very high prie
| Land in Iowa now sells for from ST.
20 $500 an acre. Land in Vermont ca
! be bought for much less, yet an &C
I of potatoes in 1918 was worth $lT9
|, Vermont and but 1876 in Iowa 9
|, ARE Of oats was worth $500 in We
: mont and but $26.Ss in Iowa; an ae
!. | # barley was worth S4T.43 in Vernon
/ land but S26.7S in Iowa; an acre
: lcorn was worth $64,60 in Vermont al
!. but 1892 in Iowa, although Iowa
located in the famous corn belt of Il
limited States.
+ Vermont's cheaper land, its great
r value Of farm products for unit, bass
t on nearness TO market, should appe
!. Ito the returning soldier or to anyol
/, Eelse seeking an opportunity on Il
p i]and and it is the opinion of the cor
r Inittee that Vermont has but to maj
) known its opportunity in order to a
!. tract many people to buy the farr
: which she has for sale.
9 1