The New York herald., 1922-10-01
FARM DEALS ARE
CLOSE TO NORMAL
Small A Agriculturists in Favor
able Position-Equipped
Property in Demand.
MANY COMMITTING SALES
Lively Call for Fruit Farms
Due to Wide Use of Syrups
and Preserves.

TARIFF legislation, bonus agitation
labor troubles. the rent problem
the coal situation and uncertainty
In the employment field are having a
bearing on the sale and purchase OF
impss~sd farms, according to Il. A.
Strout, 100 Nassau street. whose organ
ization covers the United States and
Canada. "The number of sales being
made this fall is just about normal.
said Mr.. Strout, but the reasons behind
purchases in the main are different from
normal times.
y.hs situation of the small farmer.
WIS II not dependent upon hired labor
to any extent. is unusually favorable
just now. He has had a good crop and
is making good profit on his products.
He has steady employment, is not con-
eerned about high rents and expects 10
profit considerably from the fuel short
age. as his cordwood will bring high
prices in an eager market.
Practically all farms being sold are
fully equipped with cows. horses. ma
chinery, tools and even harvested crops,
such as hay, grain, fodder. live stock.
potatoes and other vegetables, beans,
canned fruit &c. which in many cases
will take q family all the way through
the winter with very little extra cost
AS always, farms of that type can be
purchased now at extremely low prices
in various sections. owing to forced
sales for different reasons. and they are
particularly attractive to family men in
cities and industrial towns, who are fac
ing a winter of high rents, scarce and
high fuel, continued high cost OF living
and such uncertainties of employment as
fare indicated by the recent shutdown of
the great Ford plant and factories and
I industries dependent upon it.
The collapse of the railroad strike has
made travel easier and the settlement.
temporarily at least, of the bonus dues-
ton is having tendency TO release
funds and make borrowing easier. On
the whole we are looking for a very
active and satisfactory fall and winter
business"
-. Best Year in This Section.
The Batson Farm Agency, 4s9 Fifth
avenue reports that its selling of farms
within a radius of $50 miles OF this
city has never before been as heavy
az, they are to-day.
I'VE are very busy" said w. r. Bat
son, head Of the agency there is
great QenanO lot IdTilS, tSpcCidiiy loi
those offered for moderate prices and
with equipment and stock. The reason
that such farms sell best is that they
are ready for producing income at once.
Just now the largest demand is for fruit
farms That is because fruit syrups and
preserves are being widely used and
there is a large sale of cider Dairy
farms are always wanted. The call for
them is steady. as they assure practi-
caIly weekly incomes. They are not de-
pendent on crops and crop failures
affect them less than they do other
kinds of farming property. Their milk
products are what the cities must have
Another kind OF farm for which there
is much demand is the, "commuting
farm" as wei call it, I mean by that
the small farm within a ride of aai -heur
a. an hour and a half from the city.
YARNS in that category are bought by
people who work in the city and who
do not spend all of their time on them.
There are people who live on small
farnns and commute daily. although they
are unable TO do a great deal of farm
work themselves"
Mr.. Batson added that there was not
much speculation in farms and that the
leasing Of farms was almost entirely
confined TO the large agricultural dis
ff1ctS OF the west.
The interest rates on farm mortgages.
ne said. were not regulated by the mort
cage market in the city. farm loans
being largely a matter Of arrange
ments between buyers and sellers.
Brisk Demand for Small Farms.
Special Dispatch to THE NEw YORK HERALD.
Camden, n. j.. Sept 30.-New Jersey
ra1 rt a. a
demand for small and nearby farms of
five to twenty acres for prices OF $4,000
? to $4,000. The majority of the buyers
come from cities with the idea of COM
muting and later devoting their entire
time to farming. Sales so far this year
are reported as so per cent. ahead II
previous records.
!. About so per cent. OF the business
done by the New Jersey Farm Agency
is with that class of people. The other
buyers form the bulk of the hack to the
farm movement Of the working class.
rrhe agency reports little demand for
nigh priced property. such as estates.
,country homes, summer homes. &C., In
Me last year, but the demand for COM
muters farms exceeds the supply. The
financing OF real estate seems to be the
hardest problem. Were II possible Tot
agents to eupply from so to rs per cen;
~of the purchase price their sales easily
could be doubled.
The agencys sales are in excess OF
Those OF other years, but the average
class OF properties sold has been tde
lowest or the last four years. TIL"
average selling price for farms this year
was $4,000, compared with $1,000 during
1919, 1920 and 1921.
Farm and home values within radius
of thirty or forty miles OF Camden have
Advanced in many sections iuring the
last year, which is true particularly OF
sections where train service is good
and close TO Camden. where a boom has
been brought about by the erection 81
the new bridge across the Delaware to
philadelphia.
Prospects From Strike Zone.
ssseior Dispatch TO The NEW York HEntD.
vrNE1ANp, ". j., Sept 30.--According
TO s. l.. Beilin, president OF the Vine
land Farm Agency. recent activities In
the demand for farms, particularly fruit
truck and poultry farms. has shown a
decided Increase. At the present the