The San Francisco call., 1897-02-12
TO ORGANIZE A
FARMERS CLUB
The Farmers Institute
Accepts Mr.. Holman's
Motion.
Mrs. Harriet Conness of Berke.
ley Reads an Instructive
Paper.
Va'uable Suggestions for the City
Man Who Sighs for a Bucolic
Existence.

in the Academy OF Sciences Hall. Mrs.
Harriet n. Conness of Berkeley described
the profitable uses to which small pieces
of land can be devoted, her paper being
specially designed for the benefit of City
residents of small means who sigh for
bucolic existence. Alfred Holman, editor
of the Rural Press. in a paper entitled
"City Farmers Clubs" gave some in
structive details concerning organizations
of farm-owners for useful work in the pro-
motion of agricultural prosperity. He sug-
gested that the example set by other
cities in this respect might with advant-
age be initiated by San Francisco.
The chairman of the evening, Edward
F. Haddock, offered some Introductory
remarks on the objects of farmers insti-
tutes and agricultural colleges, generally
pointing out that while IL is the province
of tie latter to instruct, the application
of that instruction must be left to the
practical farmer. The city resident in
terested in these problems could make
valuable contributions to their solution II
he did no more than assist i'll gatherings
OF this nature where, among other useful
subjects, that OF a market tor agricultural
products could be more protitab bly, dis
Mrs Conness, whose remarks EN- bodied
the results of actual personal exI erience,
termed agriculture the basis of knowledge
in material things, and ADDED that 1t
should be the key 10 things spiritual. A
beneticent intelligence had provided all
the means for human development and
happiness, in spite of which there pre-
vailed great misery and want. Though
the earth would yield abundantlv it was
we'll to bear in mind that unless you could
market your product you could derive no
profit from a small holding. The pro-
ducer of the food supply was the most i'm
portant factor in human life. The pro-
ducer, therefore, should be given the
right of way.
Proper knowledge and good roads for
safe, cheap and rapid transportation were
all essential TO success. One serious STUN
bling block in the way of the would be ag-
ricuIturist was the indifference displaye ed
by women to the study of country life.
This indifference deprived the farmer OF
q suitable companion, and another direct
result OF female ignorance in this dlrec-
tion was the adulteration of the food sup
ply due to her inability to purchase in
telligently.
The problem now was, How could man
possessing q smell fund of knowledge
make a profit out of five or ten acres OF
land? Intelligence on the farm was as
necessary to u successful result as in any
other EN- ployment.
In the selection of land it was very i'm
portant to make sure o. an abundant
water supply. Diversity in the land
scape, not inconsistent with the needs of
cultivation, Was also desirable. Go cd
land could be boug 1t for $50 and $40 an
acre. aid she estimated that capital of
$500 to begin with was sufficient on a
holding of about ten acres. She eau
+iopod nor hearara howaver not IN in
in any more livestock than was abso-
Iutely necessary.
Select your land in October" she ad-
vised, when nature speaks more truth
fully. By January the buildings will be
ready for occupancy and work can begin
in the spring. Prepare the soil by plow-
ing thoroughly until it is like ashes and
plant it with oats, wheat and alfalfa. The
young grain can he used for forage,
PLANT eucalyptus trees freely for your
future supply of fuel and in February
prepare your kitchen garden, planting it
with vegetables and small fruits. In
March you can begin to keep poultry. If
you are not thoroughly versed in this
branch of farming do not buy more than
half dozen birds at the outset. Poultry
farming demands great knowledge of de-
tails, but given that knowledge there are
few other pursuits which yield more sue
cessful results
Mr. Holman said that he desired 10 offer
q resolution looking to the org aniZation OF
a permanent farmers club in San Fran
cisco, as it was one OF The purposes OF
[ .ese meetings that such an organization
should be their final outcome. Clubs of
this kind existed in New York, Philadel-
phia and other les, their scope being as
various as the places in which they were
found, The club IN New York was COM
posed of landowners and fancy farmers.
whose Investigations had little reference
to the question of profit. In Philadelphia
its object was much the same, most of its
members being weIl-to-do.
1t was q well-known fact that there
were more farmers in the County of San
Francisco than in any other part OF Cali
iornia. Many OF these had settled here
after acquiring comfortable fortunes.
Others held land for speculative purposes
and others continued TO farm in order to
keep alive the memories of their youth.
It had been suggested that such people,
owing to their central location, their
wealth, their connection with all kinds oi
affairs, their familiarity with the market
and the processes of legislation, might by
com bined action accom- plish vast deal
| for the betterment OF agricultural interests
IN California. Tnis might be done in a
| thousand ways.
Unjust taxation he referred to as q
grievance these ciuts might seek TO rem
| edy. A landowner of mis- acquaintance in
| Solano County had assured MIN that his
| farm was taxed 40 per cent more than the
price at which single acre had been sold
| in that locality for five years.
A satisfactory market, he argued, was
| of urinary importance. A farmers clut
would facilitate the exchange and dissemt
nation OF fresh Information. TIE farmer;
| of California failed to profit by the recent
rise in wheat because, though the circum
| stances which led up to 1t were known tc
| a few persons here and 10 the department
| at Washington, there was no way in which
| that knowledge could be conveyed to those
most vitality interested. If there had been
a strong farmers club here, with specia
sources of information, the farmers woulC
| have been benefited to the extent OF q sun
| he hesitated to name.
He moved for the appointment Of a com
| mittee of seven persons to take up thi.
matter. create an organization by draft
| ing o constitution and by laws, and can
vass for mem bership.
| The motion was carried out and the fol-
| lowing committee subsequently ap
pointed: IL. n. Taylor. J. G. James
Alfred Holman Colonel E. A. Dsnicke, P
B. Cornwall, B. p. Flint and Edward +
Adams.
Professor z. J. Wickson of the agricul
tural department of the University o
California afterward addressed the meet
ing on the work accomplished by the de
| partment.
The majority OF those present, OF whom
many were ladies, handed in their name
as prospective members OF the Farmers
CLUB.