FOREWORD
In making this
presentation of the opportunities afforded by Nebraska to
homeseekers and investors, the Director of the Bureau of
Publicity would have it distinctly understood that the
Bureau of Publicity has no connection, near or remote,
with any real estate agency, firm or individual. The
province of this department is to call attention to the
wonderful resources and possibilities of Nebraska; to
point intending investors to the real facts relative to
Nebraska's productivity, and to present in a dependable
form the opportunities that await those who may be
seeking a bit of land for their very own. At times the
Bureau may see fit to refer inquirers to real estate
dealers, but in every instance where this is done it will
be because the Bureau has the fullest confidence in the
dealer mentioned, and because the Bureau has not the
desired information at its command.
The Bureau of Publicity
would emphasize, at the very beginning, the wisdom of a
personal inspection before purchasing land for either
agricultural or live stock purposes. This applies to
every section of the country, as well as to Nebraska. But
the Bureau of Publicity has no hesitancy in saying that.
a purchaser assumes less risk in buying Nebraska land
"sight unseen" than in similar purchase of land in a
majority of the states.
What may be
accomplished in Nebraska is best indicated by what has
been accomplished. Nebraska as a state is just fifty
years old, but its real development has been accomplished
during the last quarter of a century. Improved methods of
farming have resulted in making valuable vast areas of
Nebraska land that were deemed worthless a quarter of a
century ago, and which really were worthless under the
old methods of cultivation. A topographical survey of
Nebraska made in the early 70's by the federal government
listed as "sandhills, practically worthless," land that
is now producing wonderful crops of hay, alfalfa, wheat,
potatoes, etc., and which is not now for sale at $75 or
$100 an acre. Indeed, some of the most productive farm
lands in Nebraska are in the western part of the state,
and twenty-five years ago could not find purchasers at
$10 an acre. Although a young state comparatively,
investigation of the United States Bureau of Agriculture
reports for the twenty year period, 1896-1915, will
reveal the astonishing fact that Nebraska ranked third in
corn production, third in wheat production, fourth in
oats production, fourth in cattle and swine production,
third in value of farms, and third in total value of all
farm property. In the total production of agricultural
crops in 1916, Nebraska ranked fifth among the states,
and in per capita production ranked first by a wide
margin.
This much as an index
of the agricultural possibilities of Nebraska. And let it
be said here and now, that there is just as good land yet
untilled as the tilled land that enabled Nebraska to
achieve this wonderful record of production. And those
who purchase and put under cultivation these fertile
lands
