FARM MANAGEMENT 181 



In the cotton belt the abolition of the crop lien in consequence 

 of profitable prices of cotton has worked a greater economic revolu- 

 tion than has taken place in any other part of the country or for any 

 crop other than cotton. When the cotton planter ceased to pay. an 

 extremely high rate of interest for an advancement of supplies 

 estimated at 40 per cent in 1890 and became able to sustain his 

 plantation with his own capital, as he did in 1902, and was often 

 able to retain a large portion of his cotton for sale at a time when 

 most to his own advantage, his land was at once converted into an 

 economic stronghold and appreciated in value in a greater degree 

 than the land devoted to any other large crop. 



In the North Atlantic states, and in a less degree in other 

 groups, there has been some back pressure upon the land from the 

 cities, and in this reversion of the tide of population from country 

 to city the old farm lands have not been lost to agriculture, although, 

 in so far as they have become the diversion of wealthy men, they 

 may have become unprofitable. In some regions the old abandoned 

 farms are becoming the country homes of city families, and are 

 passing back into some sort of cultivation and production. 



Effect of Better Farming. It would by no means be fair in the 

 explanation of increase of farm values during the period to confine 

 it to increases in price of products and to pressure of demand upon 

 area. Very large effects have been derived from better cultural 

 methods; from the substitution of profitable for unprofitable crops; 

 by the adoption of more intensive culture and crop; by better ap- 

 plied labor; by larger and cheaper facilities for reaching markets; 

 and by some improvements in the business features of marketing 

 products. Each one of these causes is of large account and all to- 

 gether combine to make the net return per acre larger than it was 

 in 1900 by an amount sufficient to raise the capitalization of farm 

 lands in a considerable degree. 



The values embraced in this investigation include improved and 

 new buildings and all improvements upon farms. In many cases 

 correspondents have reported a large percentage of increase in farm 

 values per acre where the increase was almost entirely due to added 

 improvements in the way of better dwellings, new barns, improve- 

 ments in old barns, new granaries, and new buildings for the pro- 

 tection of live stock in winter. 



Throughout extensive areas there have been great additions to 

 land values as the result of draining by tile and open ditches, and 

 the latter are sometimes so large as to be called canals. Increases 

 have resulted from the removal of the stumps of forest trees and the 

 construction of new or better boundary fences. Better and more 

 durable roads on the farm and between the farm and its market 

 town or railroad station have had a distinct effect upon the farm 

 values. 



Along with numerous improvements, not all of which can be 

 mentioned here, stands forth the improvement of the soil itself. 

 There is a materially increased production of live stock, with the 

 resultant increased acreage of forage and grain crops which in rota- 



