Americus Times Recorder

Sumter Lands As An Investment-

A number of farmers from out of the State were in Sumter county a few days ago looking over the county with the view of settling here. These visitors were entertained by a committee of citizens who told them some of the advantages possessed by the county.

An invited guest at the dinner given the farmers was Kenyon Zahner, of Zahner & Son, financial correspondents for Georgia and Alabama of the Union Central Life Insurance Co. To the farmer guests from out of the State Mr. Zahner said: "The large life insurance company I represent in Georgia and Alabama will loan more money per acre on Sumter county farm land than any other farm lands in the two states. One reason for this is that this company has never been compelled to take over a Sumter county farm, nor has it ever had to pay the taxes on a Sumter county farm on which we had placed a loan. We consider our Sumter county loans as among the safest we make."

We suggest that you read that paragraph again, if you happen to be one of those (if there be any such) who have lost faith in this great agricultural county. The statement was made by a cold-blooded appraiser of farm land, a man who travels constantly over two States and knows his territory.

In the Sunday papers there was an appeal from a prominent Georgian that the State Highway Department enter a great road building program at once and secure its labor off the farms of certain sections of North Georgia where crop failures are universal this year because of the extreme drought.

Did you ever hear of a complete CROP FAILURE in Sumter county? There have been curtailed crops and there have been seasons when no crop was what it might have been, but so far as we can learn there never was a year in Sumter county when all crops failed or when any one crop was a complete failure.

In some sections of this State—and other States as well—every crop is a failure. It is said that on hundreds of farms there is no feedstuffs for either animals or human beings. Sumter has suffered almost as badly in spots for rain as some of these North Georgia farms, but we have a crop in spite of this condition, due to the intelligence of our farmers, the excellence of our lands, and the longer growing season.

What a wonderfully fine story Sumter county has to tell the world. What a splendid empire is this county, with its splendid roads; its rural consolidated school system, second to none in the State; its churches of every faith and denomination; its agricultural school and other advantages which rank the county among the richest in possibilities in the South.

There was never a better opportunity for purchasing Sumter farm lands. They may be secured for vastly less today than will again be possible, according to the best informed authorities.

Unusual conditions have conspired to make this a fact. The terrific drought in other parts of the State and Sumter's splendid crops have drawn a favorable line of comparison for this county. The same condition is true of other counties in South Georgia. The Moultrie Observer, speaking of the reasons for this favorable opportunity of securing South Georgia farm lands, outlines the reasons as follows:

1st. There was the deflation following the war which left farmers flat.
2nd. Came the emigration of negroes to the North, making it difficult to properly farm the lands of the county.
3rd. The boll weevil was at his worst just when the farmers were short of labor and least experienced in fighting him.
4th. There came in succession 1922-23 two of the worst farm years South Georgia has ever known. Two years with cold, wet, late springs, and with unprecedented raining through spring and summer.

has carried hundreds of people from the farms of this section, leaving the farms, in many instances without any one to cultivate them,

But the farms are practically all in cultivation this year, and they have all made money, just as they made money year after year prior to 1920. Next year all of the lands will be in cultivation. The available lands will be taken. Then the man who wants to buy must go out and try to induce a satisfied farmer to give up his farm for a consideration. He will sell, but it will be at a premium. The bargains will be gone, and they will be gone for good.

The Observer sums up its opinion and advises those who can to buy farm lands now. "Get into possession of it at once," says Editor Allen, for "to hesitate is to miss an opportunity. One may go elsewhere for a 'long shot gambler's chance,' but for a sure investment, South Georgia lands—and particularly those in Sumter—cannot be equalled anywhere in the South—or the nation."

If you haven't the most ardent faith in this community, you should open your eyes and look around a bit.