SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR CITY PERSONS 137 



almost universal error of the city man is overconfidence in his 

 ability, and lack of appreciation of generations of farm experience. 



Selecting a farm. If an amateur hopes to make money by 

 farming, he should go where the present farmers are prosperous. 

 The cheap farms are a great attraction to many. But the inexpe- 

 rienced person is the last one who should buy a poor soil. His 

 lack of knowledge will be handicap enough without the addition 

 of poor soil. When land sells for little, it is because in the expe- 

 rience of the farmers of the region there is little or no profit in 

 farming it. The newcomer who laughs at the present farmers in 

 a poor region and thinks that they could do well if they would 

 only follow his advice is an "easy mark" for the land agent. 

 One may be sure that if the land is good, someone in the coun- 

 try will have discovered it. Even in the poorest community, 

 some farmers have plenty of ability. An absolute proof of this 

 ability is the facility with which they can sell a poor farm to 

 an overconfident prospector for several times its value. By all 

 means, the prospective farmer should locate on a good farm in a 

 prosperous community. His chances of success will be much 

 greater, and if he fails as a farmer the capital in the farm can be 

 recovered because such a farm is salable. 



It requires the intelligence and skill of the most experienced 

 farmer to make a profit from poor soil. It is just such soil that is 

 ordinarily sold to city persons and to persons from a distance. 

 Good land sells readily to the neighboring farmers. It does not 

 require advertising in order to make it sell. The poor land of the 

 South is often sold to Northerners. The good land is readily 

 salable to persons who know it. The poor land in New York is 

 often sold to men from the West and to men from the cities. 

 The good land does not have to hunt for a buyer. 



Land values for many miles from New York are based prima- 

 rily on the home value rather than the value for farming. The 

 movement for country homes has made much of the land double 

 in price. Such land is sometimes a good speculation, as it may 

 rise in price. It is often very desirable for those who wish a 

 country home and who expect to continue in the city occupation. 

 But if one wishes to make a living: from the soil, it is much safer 



