The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-04
For the Good of
 the Community

MOVEMENI or western IdrIneTS lO Ilo 1vA south in large numbers is forecast in the repeatedly enhanced values of the lands in the west Government statistics recently made public show that the average value of farm lands in Iowa is $169 an acre and in Alabama S24.
 The yield in corn on the Iowa S169 per acre farm is S49.92; in Alabama on the S24 per acre farm it is $23O6 The yield, therefore, is but lit tie more than twice as much in Iowa as in Ala bama, whereas the investment is seven times greater.
 Values of farm lands in Alabama have in creased 50 per cent in four years; the average for the entire country was 27 per cent.
 Improved farms in the states of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Kansas have shot up from around $50 an acre to $500, and in some in- stances $500 an acre. Many of these farms have been bought by men grown rich during the war and who wanted to increase their land holdings:
 Farmers selling their lands have been unable to buy others except at higher price than that at which they sold. Rental values have ad- vanced in proportion to sale values, thereby making tenant farming out of the question.
 The thousands of prosperous farmers who now find themselves the possessors of snug for tunes also find themselves homeless Either they must quit farming or go elsewhere for lands that can be purchased at prices that prom ise reasonable return on the investment. Such lduuS dIC LOI IlOW CO UC Ildu III CIlC WCSts IIC south is the only section where they are avail able.
 The March number of the Alabama Marketing Journal has an article under the heading Land Crazy in which it says:
 Luckily this epidemic of frenzied farm finance has not hit the southern states, although there has been healthy advance in farm values Alabama and Georgia show and increase of 50 per cent since 1916 while Ten and Mississippi show gain of Al to 43 per for the period according to estimates furnished by the U S. Bureau of Crop Estimates. The average gam for all improved farm lands in the United States for the four years 27 per cent Iowa and Illinois the two states in the central west showing the highest priced lands made gain of 26 to 25 per cent, respec lively during this four year period before the onslaugh of speculative land buying
 These figures show beyond question that since the southern farmers have begun to diversity their crops the land values have steadily increased each year and the per cent of gain much larger than the farm lands in all other sections Yet the prices of land in the south make it possible for those with limited acquire farms and equip them, and the returns from will equal the purchase price, Average blow lands in Alabama year ago valued at $24 % per acre. while the average price in Iowa $169 and that of Illinois $144 per acre.
 'Now comparison of acreage crop values will be interesting at this juncture An of Iowa's high priced ($169) land produced $4992 worth of corn in 1918 while acre of AabamaS SPA land produced an average of $23 O6 worth of corn for the year Corn is the only crop which gave decided advantage to Iowa. But to enjoy this advantage of producing twice much must pay seven times much for the land to grow On the other hand, comparison of rye wheat Irish potatoes and sorghum show that Alabama averaged $57 per against Iowas average of $53 for the same year.
 Four years ago the average value of farm lands in Alabama was about $14 1t is $24 now. With the large influx of western farmers that is