New-York tribune., 1904-09-06
A LIVING FROM THE SOIL.
Women Who Find Congenial Occupation in
Agriculture and Horticulture.

n'ne INDUSTRY is the extent 10 which women are fol-
lowing the latter day cry. Back the Land
number OF women widely known for their
large holdings and successful operations in agri-
culture Mrs Harriet NJ. King has a good right
to her Western title of Cattle Queen" for her
ranch near San Antonio Tex. is larger than many
of those German princpalities which have given
monarchs to reigning houses OF Europe.
Her Santa Gertrude ranch is ninety miles long,
and includes 10000 within its barbed wire
fences 1t Is nearly twice as large Rhode Island.
Two thousand employees care for its 10000 cattle
and 5000 sheep. Mrs. King recently aducd 10000
acres to her holdings, at n cost OF $50 acre,
and last she sold 1900 young steers and heif-
ers. The income of the ranch is between 100000
and 100000 year, and the owner laughed at the
offer OF cattle syndicate to buy it for S60G000O
year or two ago. Mrs. King is the personal man
ager Of this vast domain, and it is said no step of
any Importance Is taken upon it without consulta-
tion with her.
The second great woman landowner OF the West
is Mrs F. H Kreisman, of ST. Louis, formerly Mrs
c. N. Whitman, of Denver Her I. S. ranch
near Tascosa, Tex, is thirty miles square. Mrs
Kreisman understands both the raising and selling
| OF cattle. being a practical ranch woman and
| business woman. She is a woman keenly interested
in all forms Of progress particularly those relating
SMALL BEGINNING.
But It is great inherited estates like these
| that the average woman may demonstrate her
ability The notable feature in such cases is that
such vast holdings are left to women nowadays
when formerly It would have been unheard of, and
that they manage them successfully The average
| woman must start in small way. and II success
comes 10 It Will be through specialization This
Is the age OF specialization, and the day OF the old
fashioned general farm on which a little OF every
thing was raised, Is past particularly in the East
There is new .aGriculture'' to-day as well as
new education, new woman, and various other
| species of newness. To specialize on enc or two
products to make these high grade. that they
command top prices and TO cater TO special mar
ket IS the attempt OF both and women who
are taking up the new farming The modern
farmer to make money. must understand market
ing as well cultiYating. He is. "a fact busi-
ness man
Nowhere have women illustrated this tendency
toward specialization in California. Miss
Austin. a San Francisco school teacher. starting
with q small vineyard near Fresno the pio
neer in packing raisins in attractive form for the
high class market. She introduced a number Of
improvements. both IN the vineyard and the pack
ing house. that not only the women who fol-
lowed in her footsteps indebted to her, but
the State in general. The Washington navel orange
industry OF California sprang from the planting OF
trees from Brazil by Mrs. Tibbetts OF Riverside
and Mrs. E. q. Shields originated the pampas
plume industry, which was for some years very
profitable. Mrs. Shields IS member OF the State
Board Of Trade and has magnificent fruit farm
OF go acres in Sacramento Valley. on which she
began twenty years ago. widow. with no capital
except houseful of children.
MANY SUCCESSFUL WOMEN.
Mrs E. p Buckingham has within the last six
teen years developed a vine and olive ranch of
thousand acres in one OF the most beautiful val
leys OF the Coast range. Mrs. sherwn. near
Fresno, beginning with a small dairy and vine vine
yard mas branched OUT INTO the suGSsssLul . oLGgo
stfong Str has isSoehundred acre ranch in Los An
Mrs Reed has developed stuffed priine Industry
for the Chicago and New-York markets. another
example OF special SUCCESS through artistic PACK
MS The6dosis shepherd. made money by hybrid
n % 2 ard sasnS seds Sod SgSs m ioF e
flower 81 & Il hes In dameeF AnSthes a RtSaafed
gan 1ig seven Years ago with Bag Of poppy seed
near San Francisco. To-day they have ten sreen-
San Francisco markets. The California women in
@ led T. 10 tefse tSe IN h1Ss m o @
AGRICULTURAL and HoEticultqrsi Union: az the Lon
terested In this union, notably tho Countess OF
The Eastern woman who seeks to specialize IN
flower raising has very different conditions TO face
enorm6s eTS aer coal bs and Soils Which demsnd the
most scenti6c knowledge for their successful fert
she has the largest and best markets in the world
close at hand.
WHAT HER GREENHOUSES COST.
Mrs Clara wilbur of New-Eaven one OF the first
graduates of the Briarclif School Of Agriculture.
formerly located in Westchester County. has kindly
supplied exact figures for this article 70 the cost
Of starting a greenhouse. When she was ready TO
being than she cared to put into them, she
found second hand, but good. greenhouses.
These moved upon her lot in the suburbs and made
ready for her something over $1,000 Other
expenses starting follows: First stock OF
plants $60: manure and oil. which must be bought
each year. sH; implements. fertilizers and 80 on,
SEQ: man 70 get place I'm running order. $50
This makes the total cost OF getting started
says Mrs. wilbur aside from the real estate.
which would vary with the location,
about s1.5oo II would not be safe in the Northern
states 10 start with less than this and an o several
hundred TO fall back on; Mt least S2OO in all
The cost OF running the houses the first year was
simply the cost of the coal. varying with the
weather and occasionally the price OF an odd
lob by a man. / consider a man necessary for
&C ain parts OF the work. like the putting in and
removal OF soil from the benches. Aside from
this have done all the work OF the two houses
and twelve cold frames. and am not particularly
strong / found no trouble in running the fur
mace dumping nros, cleaning hues. watering the
plants, or airing the greenhouses. l think the
work not only suitable for woman but perfectly
delightful and fascinating But, mind you the
must have a reasonable amount OF
strength which patience and an enormous amount
of perseverance,. She must have natural love for
flowers and she must know something about the
business 10 start with
Mrs. Wilbur specalizes on violets and carnations.
and as she becomes better established intends TO
specialize orchids and other fragile and high