The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-22
-tANo EoR ReIURNINo soLDlgRs
PIaa. for Taking csncus Of Farms for
~ Sale in Vermont.

49, Sale in Vermont.
Montpelier, Jan. p Last October
Governor H. F. Graham appointed E.
S. sgigham. state commissioner Of
agriculture, and F. II. Bickford, state
farm ,lahAr agent, to represent Yer
3fno,lt,.on a New England committee
to present TO Secretary Of the Inter.
flor lane the opportunities which ex-
kist in New England for returning sol
diers. The New England committee
iafranged with the interior Depart
mont FOR a hearing In Springfield,
( Mass, lsnuary 4, and Willis n Cady
4of Ai1dlebury, 70 ~ Connal of New.
fb6Et III w Dundee OF Vernon and o.
~. Martin of Plainfield we're appoint
led rs additional delegates TO the con
lferance
Tbe question of interest to the PEG
/ plaanf Vermont is: How does YER
mont at into the plan of Secretary
LaHaf. THE plan outlined in the sec
retarys report contemplates that the
Federal Government and the State
governments, in cooperation. will
purchase tracts of waste land in
5000 acres or moEe, including swamp
Which need drainage, cnt over lands
and arid tracts which need reclama-
ltion; that these tracts will be re-
claimed and made into small farms
80 that Soldiers may be colonized
thereon, having about 100 farms in
each e5lony 1t was the opinion OF
The Vermont committee. and so com
,niunicated TO the Federal authorities,
that we have no tracts Of 5000 acres
tor mora IA one block which would
lend themselves readily TO this plan
of the secretary, but that Vermont
docs offer to the returning soldier the
hest possible opportunity for acquir
ing home on the land. During the
first year Of the war, census was
taken oftwo blocks of six towns each
in two sections OF the state, one be-
Inc. located in the Champlain Valley
and the other in a more hilly section.
The question was asked OF each
farmer. Us your farm for sale?" An
average of 20 per cent replied in the
affirmative. This illustrates that we
have in the state many farms which
are on the market An investigation
has shown that the prices of these
farms win not exceed, in many cases,
What II would cost to replace the
Buildings now built Therefore, the
returning soldier may lind in Yer.
mont an opportunity TO acquire
farm ready TO occupy, with land
, cleared, which may be bought for less
1nuney than IL would cost under pres
elt conditions 10 make hut portion
lei The Improvements which have al
ready been made The committee
believes that the best procedure for
Vermont is TO take a census of the
ferns which we have for sale, pre-
ferably through the listers next
4 April and TO have the agricultural
department investigate such FARMS
ami ascertain such facts about them
as prospective purchasers would de-
sire 10 know. Then the publicity de-
partment OF the state should adyer-
tise these farms In such a way that
they viii be brought to The attention
OF the returning soldier and such as
sistance IA the way of advice on the
part OF the state should be given TO
the returning soldier so that he may
secure q good title to his land and so
that be will be located in such a way
that there viii be a possibility for
him to succeed Not only should
this opportunity appeal 10 returning
soldiers hut also 20 young farmers in
the west, where land has now reach
ed q very high price, Land in Iowa
now sells for from $3.50 10 $500 per
acre. Land in Vermont can be
bought for much less, yet an acre of
potatoes In 1918 was worth S179.40 in
Vermont and but S95.76 in Iowa: an
acre OF oats was worth $3.50 in Yer
mont and but $26SS in Iowa; an acre
OF barley was worth s47.4S in Yer
mont and but s267S in iowa: an acre
OF corn was worth S64.60 in Yer
mont aud but 1892 in Iowa, al
though Iowa is located in the famous
corn belt of the United States.
Nermonts cheaper land. its greater
value of farm products per unit, bas-
ed on nearness to market, should APP
pealsto the returning soldier or TO
'fanyotie sclse seeking an opportunity
lOa The land and it is the opinion Of
q the committee that Vermont has but
Ito make known It's opportunity in or
'der to attract many people to buy
the farms which she has for sale.