Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-07-03
SOME QUEER FARMS.
NOT ALWAYS SOIL THAT is ABA
SIS OF FARM OPERATIONS.

for Pet Fish-Another Runs a Worm Farm
Still Another So-CalIed Ostrich Farm
Ginseng as Drug and Mushrooms for
Food. Enlist the Attention Of Others-A
Gentleman Near Troy Has Ssventy-fve
Acres in GladioIuses.
From ostriches to worms, from birds
OF the air to fish of the sea, the farm.
/ ing instinct and ability of this coun.
try's citizens to turn every one of its
advantages to account has given the
United States a reputation for unique
farms unequaled by any other country
on the face Of the globe, says the
Chicago Tribune.
A partial list of these odd cultiva-
tions comprises goldfish. pigeons, for
culinary purposes exclusively, worms,
ostriches, ginseng, mushrooms and
gladioluses, and most of them carry
the monopoly of the worlds trade.
The goldfish farm near Waldron,
Ind, was the result of one mans
hobby for pet fish and the disclina ton
OF his ground to yield profitable in
come, William Shoup, the owner,
tried first to farm bis land in the
accustomed way OF tilling the soil.
The result he considered not worth
the work involved. Pet stock claimed
his attention and he gave up his ex-
tensive acres to rearing them. In one
small pond he kept his goldfish until
he found that they were multiplying
40 quickly as to crowd each other out
of their preserves.
In order to get rid of them he sent
to the East to find sale for his super-
flous fish. Mr.. Shoup's especial hobby
in his love for pets has always been
goldfish, and as his were among the
finest specimens to be had anywhere,
he received a prompt request for more
until he decided that it would be
worth while to devote additional farm.
ing space to his fish.
So from o mere pastime sprang the
biggest goldfish industry in the world.
At rough calculation, out of his 150.-
700 fish, this goldfish farmer realizes
every year about $4,000.
Worm farming is the strange hobby
Of another man, William Griswold, q
public official in St. Louis. His whole
farm is encompassed in two good-sized
packing boxes, yet, despite its limited
accommodations it counts about TO-.
600 head" OF stock.
In order to be ever ready for the
sport on minutes notice, Mr.. Girls.
void conceived the idea OF cultivat-
ing his own bait instead OF having
to grub for it as occasion demanded.
The tenants OF this stock farm are
earthworms, not strange or rare
breed, but the ordinary. common,
everyday, wriggling earthworm. There
are four species-black. red, sulphur
and blue clay worms. They are di-
vided into classes, according to their
kind, and carefully nursed in separate
enclosures.
Pigeons form . means of revenue
for a Los Angeles man, who found
that to meet the demand OF deal.
ers and satisfy the appetite OF the
public he must raise at least 5000 OF
the little feathered creatures every
year. Fifteen thousand little white
and gray pigeons, called squads, in the
vernacular of the produce market, 60
out to all parts of tho United States
from this farm, for T. Y. johnson, the
owner, has no rival in the country.
His farm which is the only one in
the world, covers an area of eight
acres. Three gigantic lofts contain
almost 10000 rooms. The menu for
each meal is: One wagon.load OF
screenings, two sacks Of wheat, II
gallons OF boiled meat, and about half
barrel OF stale bread soaked in water.
This costs on An average of $500 a
month.
At South Pasadena, CAL, lives Ed
win Cawston whose fame as an os-
trich breeder is world wide. His farm
Is the parent farm, the headquarters of
ostrich culture in this country.
The beautiful sweeping plumes that
adorn the Gainsborough OF the stately
society dame and the feathers FORM
ing the long boa, light as thistledown,
that milady wears around her neck
and the snowy fan which the coy
maiden uses to such advantages as she
knows how-all these come from Mr..
Cawston's huge farm, from birds SO
ugly that even their plumage scarce
redeems their lack OF beauty.
The hundreds of ostriches which
Mr.. Cawston breeds to meet the enor-
nous demand for feathers have sprung
from a single cargo which he brought
from Africa. Here are displayed the
processes OF ostrich cultivation from
the beginning. Incubators filled with
eggs about to be Matched, young
chicks and full grown ostriches ready
to be plucked. The owner has the
world as his market place.
JIG. Osborn, of Westfeld, Pa, has
hobby for raising ginseng, the Chin
ese drug which has found such favor
in this country. Until Mr.. Osborn
took itup, ginseng users had to con-