52 AMERICAN FARMS. 



mains in many cases is that the land may be sold for 

 something more than the amount of encumbrance. If 

 any one doubts this, let him turn to the number of ad- 

 vertisements of farms for sale. The newspapers are full 

 of them. And hundreds of land agents throughout the 

 country are furnishing long lists free to any expectant 

 purchaser. The owners of these lands are not men who 

 are retiring on their fortunes, nor are they men' who de- 

 sire to engage in other pursuits. A large proportion of 

 them are men who are selling to save the little which 

 still remains, there being no longer any hope of saving 

 the farm." 



From what can be gathered from other sources, the 

 picture drawn by the Worthy Master is not overdrawn as 

 regards Ontario. The lowest estimate puts the mortgage 

 indebtedness upon the farms of this province at $58,- 

 000,000. The Montreal journal of Commerce recently 

 stated that, " as the possibility of the mortgages ever 

 being paid off is so remote, the interest may fairly be 

 looked upon as a fixed annual charge." 



We may well ask : " Who are to own the farms of 

 America ? " 



