The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-12

iagson. 90 his ole home IN England he Was
interviewed by q representative Of the
Cable. the leading farm paper o. Great
Britain. edited 81 the Earl OF Wsrchelssa.
and took occasion 70 say many good words
for this state as the following extracts
from the interview indicate.
IL has rot been my good fortune 20
vi-ss DR.. Edmund Croft az his beaufIfI-l
home on the shores Of the Pacific bsit I
had the advantage OF seeing him the other
day in town for chat about farming and
frssit growing in the state Of Washington.
Mr.. Croft. who is engaged in ranching.
and owns considerable amount OF real
estate. tells his own story, but II may be
mentioned, BY way OF preface that ne is a
man Of great practical experience, who
thoroughly understands agriculture. and Is
In position 10 !mpari both valuable aud
reliable information.
Before we discussed more general qfes-
tons. | asked him 10 give me an idea Of
his own operations
II farm" ne said, "3ss acres in the
state OF Washington. en- Grays harbor.
IL Is nearly all grass-dike tide land =
hat Is your principle"
II piow the land up. and put |; into oats
for three successive years The cats give
Yield of ninety to luU bushels an acre
forty-three or forty-four pounds to the
bushel. AT rhe expiration of the third year
1 lay 1t down, In October. TO English
grasses. the mixture being red clover.
Alsske clover, English rye grass. Red Top
and timothy. the standard grass OF the
United States. Then can cut over three
tons or hay 10 the acre. and that I give
10 the mich cows. The rest OF the stock
runs out in the winter months withou,
artificial food. Peas are another. consii-
cradle crop. and We often fatten hogs
upon the peas in the same way that sheep
are fat;ened in England on turnips''
Do you find that the culture of garden
produce Is profitable?'
Very profitable. For instance. grow
an average 14.oo plants. / am able to
bring water TO it,
What other vegetables do you grow"
Half an acre Of French beans. hall an
acre OF cauliffowers. an acre of cabbage
and ten acres Of potatoes
Do you go in for poultry
Yes: l have 2J0 hens. who search for
their cwn food. We find that the best
table birds are the silver-spangled Ham
burg and black Langshans. They do very
weR indeed. Eggs average a shilling =
dozen throughout the year
Where do you sell them
I'm the adjacent markets; there IL no
difficulty In getting rid of them
What about fruit" :.
nave HNe acres or orChards,- consist
ing of a variety of apples. The Craven
stein is the best early apple. l have also
the Baldwin, the winter apple and the
King OF Tompkas County, The Bartlett
is the standard pear, and the best Tor table
or consuming purposes. Both pears and
prunes-French and 1talian-xrow to per-
feotion. i grow Goes Golden Drop plunns.
They are very handsome. and The trees
get loaded
rs labor a serious item?"
Laborers are paid at the rate Of I shil-
lings a day. or Ei a month; but do not
employ any lsborers."
Not with 36o acres of land?"
No: / and my four boys, OF whom the
oldest is 20, and the youngest IL do all
the work. OF course. We have machinery.
/ cultivate celery by machinery Ny hay
clster-the Buckeye mower-cuts from ten
TO twelve acres Of hay "A day. and the next
afternoon | can rake II up with a horse
rake. which I ride. and put IL into wind
rows. The same day go out With the
wagon TO the hay field, and pitch 1t on to
the wagon by means OF hay-lIfting ma
chinery. take 1t TO the barn. and with the
harpoon fork Deliver II by means OF an
overhead traveller to any part OF the build
ing. An Englishman. with all these labor
saving machines. need not. unless he
chooses, soil his hands"