Aug. 30, 1923
KUZBAS BULLETIN
11
PEAS, POTATOES AND THE PROLETARIAT IN
KUZBAS
By Roscoe A. Fillmore, Horticulturist
We arrived in Hamburg on April 16 after a
good voyage from New York. Spent about two
weeks in Germany. Visited the graves of Luxem-
burg, Liebknecht and other dead revolutionists
at Fredrichsfelde, Berlin. Finally I entered Rus-
sia at Cebej on April 28, arriving at Petrograd
on the 29th. I spent nine days in Petrograd, in-
cluding May Day. There isn't space here to
describe May Day. I am attempting to do so
for other labor papers. Left Petrograd May 7
and joined Comrade Kingery in Moscow. On the
same day we two started for Kemerovo. Arrived
Novo Nikolaevsk, May 12. Stayed there three
days and finally arrived here on the seventeenth.
On May 20 the agricultural department was
turned over to Comrade Kingery. I was placed
in charge of the gardening operations and our
work began. The ground, virgin prairie which had
probably never been plowed before, had to foe
plowed and prepared. The weather for some days
was wet and cold. But on Sunday, May 29 with
some volunteers we seeded a few rows of peas.
On July 13 we picked almost two and one-half
barrels of peas from this seeding-only 45 days
after being placed in the ground.
Throughout June we were very busy in the
garden and on the farms. Our crews went to
work at 3 a.m. and worked to 10 p.m. in 8 hour
shifts. Our crews were made up entirely of*
women and girls who had to be taught the most
rudimentary things in connection with gardening.
Also we had practically no tools but the primitive
Russian utensils. Our American freight had not
arrived and is only now (July 31), partly to
hand.
We managed to plant about 15 acres of po-
tatoes, 20,000 cabbage and cauliflowers,.. several
thousands of tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, sev-
eral acres of peas, beans, etc. The whole garden,
including potatoes is about 35 acres or more.
During June and most of July we have had
very dry weatheralmost a drought. The peas-
ants interceded with the Most High for rain.
About the middle of July we had a good rain and
since then we have felt greatly encouraged about
our crops. The garden and crops generally loqk
good. We have been picking lettuce, radish and
peas continuously since July 13; In ten days we
willhave cabbage, beans, cucumbers and melons.
A storage cellar is being built immediately for
taking care of our potatoes and vegetables.  This
fall we hope to have our ground prepared for next
spring, and this year's cultivation will mean a
far better chance for gardening another year.
Virgin prairie is poor for gardening the .first
year or two.
In the farm program Comrade Kingery could
give a better idea as to the things accomplished
than I. But in a general way I can give some in-
formation. Within a few days harvesting opera-
tions will begin on the rye seeded last fall. It
is a good crop and with good weather for har-
vesting will give a fine quantity of seed for
putting into the ground this fall. The spring wheat,
rye, millet and lentils have been seeded and shows
a pretty good crop on about 800 acres. Here
again the operations have been badly handicapped
by the lack of machinery and tools. A large quan-
tity of hay has been harvested and the operations
are still going on.
A new cow barn is to be built this fall and
some more cows bought to supply the colony
with milk. A start has also been made with the
poultry and several hundred chickens resulted.
In all these lines, poultry, dairy, grains and gar-
den, preparations are being made for a real de-
velopment next year.
Both Comrade Kingery and myself have found
since we arrived in Russia that conditions are
far better than we expected. Literally we ex-
pected to find black bread and fish soup the
staple food. The first meal I ate in Russia was
roast goose. And throughout we have fed well
and wholesomely since our arrival. The black
bread is thoroughly palatable and is, I believe,
largely responsible for the health not only of the
Russian people but of the Americans as well.
This year there is a fine crop throughout Rus-
sia according to the reports we receive here. Rus-
sia is getting on her feet. There are, of course,
lots of discouraging things. There is no millenium
but one who is interested in Russia., see many
things also to delight him. Last year the workers
were half starved and without clothing. This
year they are feeding better every month and are
several hundred per cent better clothed. All in
all, despite set backs and discouragement, Russia
isgetting on hervfeet as a Workers' republic
slowly but surely. And the class conscious worker
Who travels over Russia and works in her in-
dustries knows in his bones that the Revolution
Kemerovo, July 31;
is a success.