Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 4.djvu/511

Rh unimproved acres. These percentages express the parts which the assessed value of the lands sold bears to the recorded selling value of the same. Some of the lands classed as unimproved on the book of the assessors and so tabulated here had houses and other buildings upon them, but these were so poor that they were not taken into account by the assessors in their appraisement.

Classification by amounts of sales

Improved acres

Unimproved acres

Warranty deeds

Mortgage foreclosures

Warranty deeds

Mortgage foreclosures

$ 500 and less

65-91

228.34

57.60

148.95

501 to S 1,000

58.51

93-18

51-53

84.02

1,001 to 2,000

47-19

72.90

44-51

65-31

2,001 to 3,000

40.60

66.12

39-14

50.74

3,001 to 5,000

36-39

61.39

35-88

54-52

5,001 to 10,000

34-40

47-95

36-58

45.82

Over 10,000

29.66

64.91

37.82

64.04

Total,

39-40

84.29

42.37

74-65

Below average amt.

47-87

127.87

51.00

103.82

Above average amt.

35-64

65.81

38.55

59-05

The improved acres sold by warranty deeds in those seventy-eight counties, and here tabulated, numbered 655,974. The consideration for the sales stated in the deeds was $13,640,879. The average sale was approximately $2,500. There were 3,138 sales for amounts below the average and 2,020 for amounts above it. The sales by mortgage foreclosures of the same class of property conveyed title to 142,969 acres. The amount of sheriff certificates was 81,007,620. The average foreclosure was approximately $1,000. There were 572 foreclosures for amounts below this sum and 337 for amounts above it. Both series of percentages exhibit a regular gradation from the sales with the smallest amounts up to those for the largest. There is but one exception, and that is found in the group for foreclosures in amounts over $10,000. This contained only two sales, which were plainly of land that differed from the body of acres sold by foreclosures. They should, therefore, be disregarded in any consideration of relative taxation of the more, and of the less, valuable tracts of land. Disregarding them, it can be said that the percentages for sales of improved acres by warranty deeds and those for