Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 170, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1918 — ADVANCEMENT IN WESTERN CM FARM LAND PRICES [ARTICLE]

ADVANCEMENT IN WESTERN CM FARM LAND PRICES

Stories of phenomenal advancement *Ennd prosperity In Western Canada have been told the reading public for some years past. The stories were told when there were hundreds of thousands of acres of splendid land adjacent to railways and projected lines, which could be had on the payment of a mere $lO entry fee, and under cultivation and living conditions. As was prophesied then, the day has come when these are few. There are still available thousands of these; they are some distance now from the railways. The land is as good as ever, but pioneering conditions will have changed. A great many are still taking advantage of this free offer from the government. The story was told when good landsnear lines of railway could bought for from $8 to $lO per acre land the prophecy made that these prices would double in a few years, for the Intrinsic value was far more than that. That day has come more quickly than expected. The immense crops of grain that could be raised has brought about the change, and the demand for low priced lands with maximum returns has prompted the keen purchaser as well as the owner of higher priced land from which no greater return could be looked for. Prices of land tn Western Canada are still advancing, and will continue to advance until, of course, the limit is reached — w’hen returns will warrant no further increase. That day is not far distant. But, in the meantime, there are large tracts' of land owned by land companies and private Individuals that have not felt the advance that has been shown r in other districts. The opportunity to purchase these should not be lost sight of, and if there are those amongst the readers of this article, which is authorized by the Canadian government, who wish cheap land, such lands as produce from 25 to 40 bushels per acre, and will pay for themselves out of one year’s crop, advantage should be taken of the present opportunity. Coming to Alberta with his family thirteen years ago, his assets consisting of a small outfit and S2O in cash. Mr. O. F. Malmberg has accumulated by farming and live stock raising assets to the value of more than $300,000, and has a personal credit, worth on demand. SIOO,OOO. Be has not speculated in land, but bought only to farm.

Near Blackle, Alberta, he operates 3.100 acres of wheat land. He- has just purchased an additional 11.500 acres near Cardston. In Southern Alberta. His personal credit enabled him to finance this deal in Cnlgnry in a little over three hours. The ranch just purchased is n fully equipped stock amt grrtin ranch. At the present time it carries a thousand head of cattle and several hundred horses, and Is fully equipped with buildings.' machinery, corrals, sheep sheds, dipping vats. etc. That is a story from one district. Let us select one from a district some hundred or more miles from that. “Peter A. Klassen, who recently moved to Herbert, Sask., from Kansas, has purchased a section of prairie land In the Hillsboro district, about 24 miles northwest of Herbert, for which he paid $12,000 cash. He Is erecting tem- v porary buildings to live tn while putting the place in cultivation, and this summer plans to erect good buildings on the farm and equip it for a home. Mr. Klassen recently sold his 80-acre farm in Kansas for $15,000 and is investing the proceeds in Canada.” With the proceeds of the sale of his land in Kansas, this farmer purchased in Saskatchewan a piece eight times as" large as he had previously been farming, and had a balance with which to purchase equipment, stock, etc., of $3,000. Moreover as land in Saskatchewan may be expected to yield twice as much grain per acre, he will be abfe to produce sixteen times as much as formerly. The average value of farm land for, the whole of Canada, including land improved and unimproved, together with dwelling houses, barns, stables and other farm buildings, Is approximately $44 per acre as compared with s4l in 1916, according to the latest report of the Census and Statistics branch at Ottawa. The average value of land in the Prairie Provinces is as follows: Manitoba $31.00 Saskatchewan 26.00 Alberta 26.70 It is the low prices at which land can be obtained in Western Canada which is rendering this country such an important factor in the production of foodstuffs at the present time. It is enabling men who have been farming small areas in older districts to take up and farm with the same capital areas not only many times as great, but which are also capable of producing considerably larger crops to the acre. —Advertisement.