SETTLEMENT AND COLONIZATION IN GREAT LAKES STATES 89 
The outstanding fact in this whole matter of terms of purchase is 
that few of the high-grade land companies operating in the cut-over 
region of the Lakes States were really expecting to get any money 
payments on principal for at least the first 3 years. Several were 
not trying to get such payments for 5, 8, or 10 years. In the latter 
cases this was made possible by exchanging contracts made for 3 or 
5 years and requiring no payments on principal for 5-year mortgages 
at the end of the contract period. A 30-year amortization mortgage 
would require only a very small payment on the principal. 
The policy of not expecting substantial payments in the first few 
vears of settlement is really made necessary by the fact that the ordi- 
nary settler needs all available funds for developing his place and 
supporting his family. Furthermore, for a number of years only a 
small part of the cleared portion of the total acreage purchased is 
likely to be capable of yielding any considerable income, 
Taste 18.—Size of initial tract purchased by 510 settlers in Minnesota and 
Wisconsin 
: ee Number F wha ak 2 Number 
Size of initial tract Beans Size of initial tract ebb 
10 aAcresiandiunder 2520222 bios oS Eee 5 S5iacrés andjunden 125-2 bis SE 29 
oniaeres andeunden 45-22. se0 oe 188 || 125 acres and under 165____=..__...______ 15 
45 acres and under 65_.------------------- 44 || 165 acres and under 205__.._-...-....._.- 7 
Gracrewang mnder 85 8 Se 2141), 205 aeres.andiover! 4 2) bce aia. 8 
SIZE OF PURCHASE 
Table 18 shows the sizes of the plats initially purchased by 510 
settlers in Wisconsin and Minnesota. They fall largely in two main 
groups, the 40-acre group and the 80-acre group, the latter being 
somewhat the more numerous. Those who were farmers prior to 
becoming settlers, probably accustomed to the comparatively large 
farms of the corn, wheat, and dairy regions of the Middle West, pur- 
chased farms averaging 89.5 acres in size, and those who came from 
other occupations purchased farms averaging only 65.4 acres. The 
average for all occupations was 72.4 acres. 
Similarly, the foreign-born settlers purchased farms of smaller 
average size (67.3 acres) than the native-born (77.4 acres), although 
having larger beginning net worth. Apparently, European tradi- 
tion as to size of farms was the reason. In general, if the soil is 
light, if the land clears easily, or if considerable noncultivable land 
is included in the plats, the area of the farm should be larger than 
would otherwise be necessary. 
Table 19 shows a wide range in sizes of plats sold by the dif- 
ferent companies. Project I, selling wholly to farmers, averaged 118 
acres; Project VI, selling mostly to farmers, averaged 146 acres; 
Project XV, selling wholly to foreign born, averaged 57 acres. 
TABLE 19.—Size of farms sold, by projects 
Average Average Average 
Project size of Project size of Project size of 
: farms farms farms 
Acres Acres Acres 
ij oe tes Es OF be rege eat Re Sil NAL See er SR isu, Figg | bapa el ape Ah Sg pe pe ate ale 7 bagh 
(§ 2ST A See ee: 0 Cy Se eg | A 4 8 eee ee eee eee oe GOB. Wyre Des pet citer eg 139.8 
Pa eee ee BOSG le Vibha oe. ae 75 UGH PD a a am Se ll 66. 9 
Benn ee Te oe nS G2 clei exe ees ene ne BO. Bil Re Vik tne the be ee es 63. 7 
Wea SS ee ee ee 21/8 || NS. eae iF eee ae 72k I Vy see OE Be cat Fee ee 50. 0 
