Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-12
FARM TOPICS.
4 Revival Of Interest in England In the
Employment of Lime for Agricui-
tural Purposes-A Suggestive
Experience.
dow Severe Training ProionSs the Lire
of the Observation-Disclosures
without Silos.
A SUGGESTIVE EXPERIENCE.

SUGGESTIVE EXPERIENCE.
At time when thousands are wish
ing for some work that will make them
independent of the chances attending
employment in the shops or mills, the
experience of gentleman who was
very poor" as reported by the Ameri-
cd.: Grange Bulletin, may offer a sug-
gestion full of comfort. 1t presents q
plan by which thousands may help
themselves materially without at once
abandoning their present occupations.
if they have them. before they put
themselves into position to throw aside
all other work for fruit growing.
There need be no fear that the market
will be overstocked with fruit. for the
world has never seen the time when
good, fresh fruits were not salable at
fair prices for any length of time. The
experience related was that of one who
lived near a town of about 1900 peo-
pie. adjoining which were many rich
farms, and land was plenty. the rent
being about s. per acre. His first
move was to look up q reliable nursery
from which TO purchase the necessary
plants. This done, and all arrange
ments made for supply of the best
varieties of strawberries, faspberrles,
blaekberries, and grapes, the next step
was toward securing the land. Being
short of funds the rule was to start at
first on a small scale. so three acres of
good land was leased for term of six
wears and the rent for the first year
Sl5-paid in advance
Then be portioned off the following
number of plants 20 set out the three
acres: One acre was to go in straw
berries. one in blackberries. One-haf
acre in black raspberries. One-fourth in
red raspberries- and the rest One-fourth
of an acre, TO grspeyines- Our friend
had no horses. so he hired the ground
broken in the fall When spring az
rived the land WAS plowed again. vel
narrowed. and marked out for the
plants These were very carefully
planted 81 the proper distances and
then came the work of tillzge-
An occasional Ily hire for : man
and horse did the heaviest OF the work
while his own zrmS and good bright
the rows Of al the plants excepting
the Strawberries garden truck Was put
IN and tended zlOaC with the small
fruits When fail came the plants
were found TO have made : VERY fine
and healthy growth. and there Vas 8
splendid crop Of vegetables also Part
had been already harvested and dis
posed O. 81 : good advantage. while
the remainder Was ready fOr : Ike dis
possl Enough had been realized In
this WAY TO pay another yesrs rent In
advance. buy few berry-boIes, and
have little left
In the village there was an enter
prising grocer who had been 8 keen
observer of our friends fruit-Carden,
and he rnade- advances toward securing
the crop for sale he would sell the
fruit al a commission OF 10 per cent on
each dollars worth If the grower
wanted cash, or would pay full value
dollar for dollar-if goods were taken
In payment for berries There would
be only the strawberries 10 put In mar
ket the second season, but our friend
had planned so well as toyarieties. and
i
acre patch would yield a handsome
crop
4 horse and light spring wagon were
purchased on time, and then the sec
ond wears tillage was easily done; be-
| sides, a conveyance was prepared foI
the transportation of the berries.
Three young girls were engaged TO dc
the berry picking. which with his OWL
help was sufficient Before the time
came for harvesting the crop there
were many weeks allowed for cultiva.
ton. which was done mostly by horse.
No culture being needed for the straw.
berries. the two remaining acres ol
other fruits could be easily handled
and kept in good shape. To be sure
there were many other matters to at
tend 10. such As cutting back the rasp-
berry canes. making berry boxes. cul-
ture being the greatest essential.
In the latter part of May the berries
began TO rip n, and soon the berry,
picking came on in earnest. All this
time the other plants were making a
fine growth and were not neglected.
The acre of Strawberries turned out
splendidly. the total number of quarts
being l.S00 and over. The first brought
20 cents a quart, then fell to 10, then
to l2s, and finally TO 10 cents 4 box.
All this was very satisfactory, and next
year-another strawberry crop and afull
crop from the other plants. This is
the way one man started, and he grad
ually increased his fields until now he
has twenty acres in small fruits alone.
Any other man can do just rs well and
perhaps better.