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Show Many Americans Are Eager to Get Onto the Soil WASHINGTON. That 11 great many Americans, including returned soldiers ami sailors, are eager to liecome farmers is shown by the work of the homcseekers' bureau of the United States railroad administration. During the first three months of 1019 about 14,000 persons applied to the bureau for help in getting farms. About 15 per cent of those were men buck from war, and a large number of women were also among the applicants. Town folk who want to get out in tlie country make up another large section of the back-to-the-soil army. Farmers who have sold out land at fancy prices in thickly settled parts of the country, and want to buy larger places farther West, are also among the applicants. Some of these farmers want to buy places for boys just buck from the war. There are also a number of applications from farmers farm-ers In Canada. These generally went there from the United States and now want to return. The men returned from war usually state they wish to continue an outdoor out-door life. It Is Interesting to note that a majority of the returned soldiers mention either that they have just been married or that they are just about to be married. Most of the women who write to the bureau express an iDterest in fruitgrowing, fruit-growing, dairying or poultry raising; but there are some women who want to tackle the heavy work of general farming, and some who want to raise cattle. In a number of cases three or four women have pooled their resources to buy a farm. Most of these intending women farmers are unmarried. A majority of those who give their previous occupations have been school-teachers. About one-half of the tillable land in the United States is uncultivated. To be exact, there are about 275,000,000 acres of good farm land lying idle. Tliis land Is scattered throughout the West and South, and can be purchased at moderate prices. Government officials predict that there will be a continued heavy demand all over the world for American food products for some years. |