Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-08
RESEARCH POINTS
TO FARM coming
Survey of Idle Lands Indi.
Gates Wrong Use for
SO Years.

acres of land has been abandoned by
people who could not wiring a living
from it. The State has seized it for
delinquent taxes, but it would much
rather have seen its owners prosper, and
it. dire | group OF able men to md
out if IDLE what was the matter
The suit of this investigation led
economists into new fields Of research
and points the way TO the possible zon-
ing of forests. farms and Swamps, says
the National Association OF Real Estate
Boards.
The land economic survey discovered
that people stubbornly tried to farm
land that had not produced successful
farms in SO years, while fertile areas
lay idle. It found that uniformed
people tried TO farm steep, sandy hills
which they purchased because they
came from lowlandS and were afraid
Of floods.
The survey revealed that idle swamp
land was valuable for the increasing
muskrat trapping business; that
huckieberries could be raised and
canned in a wilderness, and that the
forest growth in certain territories
would be large enough Is years from
now to supply paper mills not yet con-
structed.
Theory OF WISE USE
Starting on the theory that q wise"
use of the ground will cut down on land
failures. and financed by the State
Legislature, this new division OF the
department of conservation spent seven
years in studying the past, present and
future of 10 idle" counties. These
counties are located where so per cent
of the land lies idle where wild" land
development has languished, where
land values are low and tax revenues
lower, all matter of concern to the
land owners, the county and State.
The land economics division analysed
the soil, studied the trees, took the
temperature Of the streams, croSS-ex-
smined the populace and ascertained
the land requirements Of peculiar but
prosperous industries.
Farms are unsuccessful here and there,
said L. H. Schoenmann, the division di-
rector, but they have been successful
for SO years and the people do not
know this. 1t is safe to assume that il
so years of toll have not produced good
crops this land may never be good farm
land.
And in this survey work lies the germ
Of the idea that may develop into the
unofficial coming of country land
throughout America, says the Real Es-
tate Association.
The farmlands division Of the Ma
tional Association of Real Estate Boards
on December 20, 1928, approved reso-
luton urging State governments to
classify land for agricultural, grazing,
forestry and recreational purposes and
to adjust the system Of taxation to such
classification.
Farming Impractical.
Mr. Schoenmann points out that
many attempts have been made TO farm
land where natural conditions made
farming impractical "In the past peo-
pie from neighboring lowlands, afraid
of floods and unfamiliar with Northern
Michigan conditions. have located farms
on steep, sandy hills, the worst possible
place for them.
But land that is unsuited to farm.
ing development need not be con-
demned as worthless, and such land Is
inventoried by the survey in the same
detail and with the same care as the
richest loans. Land that might not be
good for farming might make fine pre-
serves for wealthy sportSmen, and the
development of such areas Is Of interest
10 the State, If for no other reason but
that such owners are likely to pay their
taxes promptly"
The survey reveals that huckleberr,
picking has become an important in
6ustry in some sections where the lane
js wild and unoccupied and it Is con
ceivahle that 1t may soon be profitable
10 own land there merely for this pur'
pose The survey also discloSes thai
otherwise worthless swamp land Is being
used for the raising OF beavers a1c
muskratS.
Advises Correct Use.
The survey studies forest growth Ant
can advise the State forester, the di
rector of growth In certain areas, which
will aid him in extending the Stat'
forest preserves in the counties wher
this work has been undertaken.
The modern commonwealth is inter
ested in attracting outside industrie.
that provide local employment and in
crease the State wealth. Being abb
TO tell a paper mill how big the tree
in a certain area will be q decade from
now is just one of the big things LAM
survey can do to help capture outsid
business for its State.
And when land is idle or put to a
pnwiSe use, the rest OF the state mus
carry 1t. points out the survey director
The State depends upon tax revenue
to maintain schools. build roads an
pay its off1cials and when . localit
does not pay up, the state cannot an
does not cut Of its service, 50 I
speak IT must go on providing school
and roads even If 1t must take rh
funds to do so from . wealthier par
Of the State.
For instance. last year one count
raised only SGT 900 in taxes, but it CO;
the State more than $4,000 TO maintai
this county. The difference betweel
the $4,000 and the $50 900 has TO com
from the more prosperous countie
where the land is productive.