Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-11-30
For the Freema
An Illinois Fruit Farm.
STACYVILLE, Iowa,
Nov. II. 1870. {

| NOV. II, 1oGU.
| Successful men have not always followed
in the well beaten path where the multitude
travel. bold start upon road so unin-
viting that no one else ventured to risk his
happiness and fortune, has sometimes brought
an individual to that promised land - of
wealth and abundance for which all are
seeking. 1t is as true in the ordinary pur-
suits of life as in war, that " Fortune favors
the brave; provided that bravery is not
substituted for sagacity.
A few hours spent upon fruit farm fifteen
miles from Chicago, showed the writer what
one man can accomplish in less than twenty
years. While hundreds of men have done
better, thousands have not dOno as well.
There are plenty of opportunities all over
the West as good as his. Scarcely any fruit
is raised in Iowa, Minnesota and states fur
ther west. All this region is principally
supplied with fruit from Michigan and Illi-
nois, transported at great expense, so that
it is purchased by the consumer at price
more than double what the producer receives.
There arc the same obstacles to contend with
that there were in Illinois twenty years ago;
the worst of these is the universal cry that
fruit trees Will not grow when exposed to
the prairie winds" [ propose to deal
with facts and not with theories.
Eighteen years ago man by the name of
Wakeman owned farm of one hundred and
twenty acres. at Cottage Hill, Illinois. He
was then past forty, strong and rugged.
Contrary to the advice of all sane men, he
commenced setting out an orchard on large
scale. He continued this for three years,
meanwhile visiting all the agricultural fairs
where fruit was exhibited, and obtained
scions Of two hundred of the best varieties
/ of apples. Then cherry, pear and peach
treOs were planted, until he had eighty
acres covered with fruit trees. The trees
are now small, but viii produce more than
bushel each. The owner estimated the crop
at two bushels per tree-about nine thousand
trees-which would be eighteen thousand
bushels; worth at home seventy-fve cents a
bushel. think this estimate too high, and
would put it "a low as twelve thOusind
bushels, worth nine thousand dollars. How
ever, the estimate of Mr.. Wakeman may be
nearer the truth, for the writer does not
have great confidence in his own Judgment
i in regard to such matters, since few weeks
ago he estimated the apple crop Of a certain
orchard at one hundred and twenty-five
bushels, it actually produced three hundred
and twenty-five. He also raised the present
season eight hundred bushels of cherries and
several hundred bushes of pears. Any one
can Judge what would be the increase of such
a farm situated near the best fruit market in
the world This is exceptional season,
but if ie-sually produces one third as much
as this yesr, prices would be 50 much higher
that nice profit could be realized after pay
ing the interest on tho capital invested, and
expense Of picking and marketing.
~ 49, - -. -,sOtt. iyur OF
five acres have little idea how seventy acres
would look when the ground was covered
with richly colored fruit Though | had
seen fine orchards in New York, yet they
were nothing compared with this There
are other orchards equal and probably better
than this in Michigan, but To see such a
sight as this after riding many miles without
seeing a hundred fruit trees, makes some
impression inquired why Others had not
tried frujt-growins. lie said ne would not
decide that. but he saw nobody else thought
Of starting ia such uphill business, ami 50
he had NJ fears Of over-stocking the market
For convenience in picking, the orchards
are now pastured, but only a few years ago
he cut seventy tive tons of hay, and his fig
urcs were little higher. Ga this place is
a good two-story farm house, surrounded
with evergreens. \ f1untl'n is playing in
front OF the house, the water being raised to
a sufficient height by wind-m mill The other
buildings an1 Surroundings are in a rather
dilapidatci condition, OF 50 they would seem
/ to an eastern man. Ina former comnunica-
ton, in mentioning this place, perhaps the
\ figures were not exactly the same the owners
estimates seemed So wild that did not note
the figures at the time, AMI it has been 50
long that [ have possibly mjsstatei them
This farm is now offered for SUI. though l
do not write this t. advertise his farm, but
because thought it good chance fora man
having money to invest. 1t is not often that
the gross income Of u pltce for year is
more than third of the asking price.
How often it happens that as s)on as a
man has everything arranged to suit him, he
is compelled to leave all aud take up his
abode among strangers, or, alas, ind rest in
the grave Mr.. Wakeman slid he had
worked hard ID get h,s farm in its present
condition, expecting his son would succeed
him and enjoy the. fruit of his Clther's la
Dor 4; but his son, like most of the young men
of the present time, wants to engage in
g other business" The father, now in the
decline of lite, hardly cares to manage the
farm alone, and has taken his Only choice to
leave everything that he values highly, and
g away to spend the remainder of his days
among other scenes.
Financially, his undertaking has been
success. The great secret was elsily to be
esen. Instead of planting the trees in the
wet prairie soil las many do, he planted them
upon an elevation made by the pillow, leaving
ditch between the rows to carry away the
water. On the west side Of this orchard he
planted poplar trees, which grew very rap
idly, affording protection from the much
dreaded wind. Thus it will be seen that it
was not merely the work of chance, but the
natural result of wel-mltured plans.
L have seen men who have travelled through
all of the principal western states, and with
the information CLEANED from them, hope in
my next letter to aid those intending to set
tie in this region t. decide upon the best
location There is 50 great a variety OF cli
mate AMI soil that there must be place
eomew here for all W