Bo. BULLETIN 1295, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
per acre. Other things being the same, the land in Project VIII 
should sell for $5.27 more per acre than the land in Project. IX. 
However, the value to the settler of the better roads in Project IX 
may be more than $5.27 per acre. Projects IV and XV were old 
colonies with half or more of their land improved. 
. 
TABLE 26.—Land taxes per acre on 12 projects 
j 
a ’ Cane: ® Capital- 
ene axes | ized value . Taxes |ized value 
Project (per cent); at 6 per ee (per cent)| at 6 per 
cent cent 
1 fe ers a ee ee ere ee 13. 4 VRP ATM |e). Gamera ois, e, ener get Se nye TM 42.0 7.00 
quam seg ee Ae Sees 36. 0 AL OO PERM Shas eevee near es eeree eee 38. 6 6. 43 
MWe One Ob 2 3 ene ae 78. 0 1: OD shh § ole: se hoo Peale 25.1 4, 20 
Wee ee ee ee ee 26.0 AN Set | | ok ss A Sah ee 25. 6 4, 27 
Hire tere eee cs ee ae Pie 3 AF OFA SRO ES 9S) a, SS eke ee 34. 0 5. 67 
7G D2 A Ge Dat eb Seema SRA 11.0 DSR SNOW ear Rc er a 77.0 12. 83 
SELLING METHODS 
A wide range of differences in methods of selling and types of 
selling organization were found. In some cases one man was han- 
dling all of the selling, looking after the advertising, locating pros- 
pects in the supply areas, showing the land, and looking after the 
settlers after they were located. At the other extreme were com- 
panies which maintained a local sales organization consisting of a 
chief with two or three assistants, a central sales office in a large city, 
with a head salesman in charge and several assistants, sales super- 
intendents in charge of districts into which the sales territory was 
divided, and local and traveling agents scattered throughout each of 
these districts. When a prospect had been located by advertisements 
or other means he was followed up by the proper agents and super- 
intendents in each district until he jwas brought to the stage where he 
was ready to look at the land. Then one of the agents went with 
him on the train, a local agent joined them when they reached the 
local office, and the two agents together made the sale. Between these 
two extremes were all kinds of gradations. Most of the companies 
had a local sales force and offices in one or more central cities, such 
as Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. 
There are a number of objections to the policy of employing 
strong selling organizations and methods. The selling of the land is 
the easier part of colinization, but it may be a very expensive part. 
The most difficult task in colonization is to keep the settlers con- 
tented and to make them successful after they arrive. There is dan- 
ger that a sale may be made to a person who never really wanted 
the land and will regret his decision after he has signed the con- 
tract. There is always danger that the agents can not be controlled. 
In their anxiety to make sales they are very likely to overstate. 
Two of the 15 companies had entirely abandoned the employment 
of salesmen, because they could not make them obey instructions as 
to representations. However, one otherwise high-grade land com- 
pany has retained on its staff for several years a certain successful 
salesman against whom 20 settlers made specific charges of mis- 
representation. 
a Oa. ne oe 2 ee ee eee Ge NSS een eres 
De eee dP eat 
