The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-01-26
SHE nos Ei TIE RANCH.

Mrs. Harriet w. i. Strong is q
ranch woman OF California, where tbs
species hourishes. She is not, how.
ever, horny handed daughter of toll.
On the contrary, she is described a,
dainty, fragile, shrewd, daring, cor.
dial, gentle-faced. Her step is quick,
her voice low and musical. She is au
accomplished linquist. musician, n
painter, the President OF fashionable
club, and her pampas plumes are the
finest in the country.
Nobody would think of calling Mrs
Strong q narrow or one-sided person.
Versatility and walnuts are her
strongest points. The former has ex
panded without hindrlnce. The wal
nuts haven't done quite so we'll rs
they might have If Mrs. Strong hadn't
set out tho pnmpas grass among the
trees. bnt she means to mako that all
right very soon. The pampas plants
will have to move, bat they will be
merely transplanted. 1t is fact.
without any low attempt at punning,
that Mr.. Strong plumes herself on
her success III this branch of ranch.
ing.
Mrs. Stroag's husband died in 1888.
and his widow very quickly fonni
that her agents were Improving their
exceptional.opportunltIes for running
the business into the ground. This is
very easy thing TO do with n ranch.
She decided, therefore, to run it her
self, and, as Is generally the case when
woman takes hold of business, she
got herself well laughed Mt Tor her no.
lions. When she spent 300 on pam.
pas plants the men of the neighbor-
hooi were so amused that they sat in
the sun FOR hours together and hal
beautiful time telling each other what
fool woman was when it came TO
business.
They don't do that now. Mrs.
Strong harvests 800, 900 plumes from
her twenty-eight acres and sells them
from SD TO $50 thousand This is
IN addition 10 the walnuts, which are
In the same land, but hage been some
what stunted by the pampas. The
pumes are gathered in September.
and the work has to be done prompt.
ly. Sixty-fve laborers harvest tho
twenty eight acres. The plumes grow
up IN long sheath, rs an ear OF corn
does, and it must be cut before this
sheath opens, less the sun :poiII the
fronds. The plumes are first stripped
and taken 10 the drying place. If
they are put out in the evening thcy
are white and rendy to be taken up
by morning. Then they go to the
clearing house, where they are kept
SIX weeks.
In addition TO the pampas grass.
which is an excellent food for cattle.
Mrs. Strong raises walnuts, ORANGES.
olives and figs. She is President OF
the American Walnut Growers Asso.
citation. She is interested in irriga-
ton and mining schemes, and has 70.
Gently patented q reservoir system
impounding the debris CT hydraulic
mining. She thinks ii will settle mat.
tiers satisfactorily both to miners and
farmers. She has patented n process
for damming mp and storing water for
irrigation, by using the reversed arch.
Furthermore, she has hobby. She
dreams of founding an Institution
where women may lean the princi-
pies OF the science Of business. She
IS now the President of business
league, which she hopes to see grow
until 1T fulfills her hopes. Altogether,
Mrs. Strong appears to be rs marvel
Gus product of the Pacific Slope as
1t has turned out for long time.