The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-01-10
ACRES OF QUEER CROPS.
LEE POTTS CHINESE FARM NEhH
WASHINGTON CITY.

one On1naman IN the DlStrlct OF Col
umbia says the Star, aud the results
have amply compensated him for the
gold venture.
Lee Poit, moon-eyed Celestial, ar
rived in Washington last April, with
his savings tied up in buckskin bag.
He came directly from California. Lee
found the laundry field crowded, and
his capital was too small for him to
consider the establishment of grocery
store.
One Sunday Lee dined at the Chi
nese restaurant on Lower Pennsyl-
vania avenue. Lee, who has an in
quisitive mind, questioned the pro-
prietor about the source OF supply for
the many queer vegetables aud herbs
which form part of every Chinese
dish, and learned that they all came
from st. Louis, two days distant by
rail from Washington. None was
raised nearer the capital. Here was
Lees chance to invest his money, and
he was quick to see it.
The next day Lee began to visit the
suburban districts in search of q suit
able place for his farm, and after
week he decided upon a little four
acre tract of land near Terra Gotta Sta
ton on the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road, as the spot best suited for his
purposes. The owner of the land has
number of colored farming tenants,
but he was mildly surprised when Lee,
VITA IN interpreter, for Lee speaks lit
tie English, called upon him "to lent
farm" Mr.. Lynch made the rent
reasonable, and in an hour Lee was in
possession of the farm. His entire
outfit, aside from his clothing, con-
sisted of two four gallon watering pots
and yoke, such as the coolies in.
China use for carrying burdens.
Lee got down to business Mt once
The day after he took possession he
employed q colored man, who lives
near by, to pillow up his little farm.
Seeds were obtained from San Fran
cisco, and Lee worked all day aud
sometimes on moonlight nights in his
little farm. Beds were laid out in
regular checker-board fashion. aud
with hoe, borrowed from n neighbor,
Lee pulVerized the soil, carefully re-
moving every stone.
At first there were many things to
contend with. Lee did not under.
stand the new soil, and his first crop
was failure. Then he began intense
farming. Large quantities of fer
tilizers were put on the bells and a
new crop was planted. Every morn
ing before the sun was mp, Lee, with
his yoke on his neck, watering pot on
each side, watered the tender sprouts
of green, which were just bursting
out of the ground. His water supply
was obtained from ditch 100 yards
from the beds, and the operation was
tedious. With the energy and per-
severance of his race, Lee would pIod
back and forth between the ditch and
the beds until every plant on the place
was given its share of water. Again
In the evening were the beds watered
by the same slow process.
Finally Lees unremitting toll be-
gan to tell. The crop. forced by fer
tilizers and water, was even better
than the industrious owner had hoped
for. 1t matured rapidly aud was
gathered and taken to the city, where
he received an advance on st. Louis
prices for it. Since then Lee has
gathered four crops, and another is
now ready for the market.
In all Lees farm there is not n sim
gle plant which is known to his neigh
bors, who are thoroughly familiar with
American farming. Near the railroad
there are half dozen rows OF what he
calls Chen FOX, or Chinese cabbage.
The plant looks not unlike n huge
turnip, but the taste is peculiar, hot
and slightly spicy. Below the cabbage
bed, supported ON sticks which take
the place of trellis work. there are n
number of rows of yepmein, q little
green gourdlike melon, which is much
sought after by Chinese epioures. Lee
has been particularly successful In
raising these, and they bring excellent
prices. Further on there are melons,
hard, queer-shaped things, whitish
green in color. They ripen in Novem
Der, and when full grown sometimes
weigh as much as sixty pounds. When
they ripen these melons will be the
first ever brought to Washington.
There are none raised, it is said, near
er here than California.
On tho hillside, inst back Of the
barn, several beds are planted with
aromatic herbs and stranee-l looking |
vegetables with unpronouncea5ie |
names. Many Of these help to mako /
up that mysterious but none the less
toothsome dish know as chop.suey.
The plants are oil dwarfsb, but verv |
luxuriant. Beans o foot long. bent
aud twisted IN every conceivable
shape, take mp n couple OF beds. They |
nre black in color, and have a sweet /
ish, insipid taste. Chinese lentils are
given space in the beds. and they are
very successfully raised. Next year
Lee intends to attempt the cultivation
OF bamboo sprouts in tho damp land /
along the ditch. IF he succeeds his |
income will be materially increased, /
rs the sprouts now used at the res /
taurants are al imported in cans from /
China, and are very expensive. Every /
morning Lee gathers his vegetables in |
large sacks, and prepares to 20 TO the /
CITY. The sacks are attacked TO the /
yoke, and with this heavy load the
industrious Celestial trudQes down /
the road to University Station. a mile I
sway, where he takes an electric car 1
for Washington. All his produce is
spoken for the day before, and il Is /