92 The Condition of the Western Farmer. [370 



that the average amount of debt in force per assessed acre 

 was $3.74, and per mortgaged acre was $6.43 ; that the aver- 

 age value of an acre (estimated) was $1445, and that the 

 total amount of the mortgages represented 44.47 per cent of 

 the total value of the acres mortgaged ; also that the average 

 amount of debt to each mortgage in force against acres was 

 $844. Now these figures formed the average of the mort- 

 gages in both the older settled and the very recently settled 

 portions of the state. Since the average value of an acre is 

 as low as it is, we may conclude that the number of mort- 

 gages from newer parts of the state was comparatively very 

 large. 



The figures brought out in this paper showing the per- 

 centage of acres which are mortgaged and the percentage of 

 the value of mortgaged acres represented by the debt in force 

 against them, are very nearly the same as those shown by 

 the census, but corresponding to the fact that in the present 

 study the value of the land per acre is much higher than in 

 the census figures, we find that the average debt per farm 

 and the average debt per acre are in almost the same propor- 

 tion higher. These facts help to show the relationship which 

 exists between the facts shown in this paper and the average 

 facts for the state as a whole. 



