Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-04-21
QUEEREST OF FARMS.
Some in the United States That
Raise Singular Crops.
AngIeworms, Goldfish and other An
imaI and Vegetable Products
That Are Not Commonly
Husbanded.


United States a reputation for uniqu
farms unequaled by any other cour
try on the face of the globe, says tn
Chicago Tribune.
A partial list of these odd cultivs
tions comprises goldfish, pigeons, TO
culinary purposes exclusively, worms
ostriches, ginseng, mushrooms, an
gladioluses, and most of them carry tn
monopoly TO the worlds trade.
The goldfish farm near Waldron
Ind, was the result of one mans hobb,
for pet fish and the disinclination o
his ground to yield profitable income
William Shoup, the owner, tried frs
TO farm his land in the accustomed wal
of tilling the soil. The result he con
sidered not worth the work involved
Pet stock claimed his attention and h
gave up his extensive acres TO rearing
them. In one small pond he kept hi;
] goldfish until he found that they were
multiplying so quickly as TO crowd
each other out of their preserves.
In order to get rid of them he sent
TO the east TO find a sale for his super
| fluous 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 prompt request for more
until he decided that il would be worth
while to devote additional farming
space to his fish
So from a mere pastime sprang the
biggest goldfish industry in the world.
At a rough calculation, out of his 1907
600 fish, this gold fish farmer realizes
every year about $4,000.
Worm farming is the strange hobby
Of another man. William Griswold, a
public official in St. Louis His whole
farm is encompassed in two good sized
packing boxes, yet despite its limited
Accommodations it counts about 10000
head" of stock.
In order to be ever ready for the
sport on a minutes notice Mr. Girls
void conceived the idea of cultivating
his own bait instead of having to grub
for IL as occasion demanded.
The tenants of this stock farm are
earthworms, not a strange or rare
breed, but the ordinary, common, every
day, wriggling earthworm. There are
four species-black. red. sulphur and
blue clay worms. They are divided into
classes, according to their kind. and
carefully in separate Enclosures.
Pigeons form a means of revenue for
a Los Angeles man who found that to
meet the demand of dealers and satisfy
the appetite of the public he must
raise al least $4,000 Of the little feath-
cred 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
the United States from this farm, for
Mr.. 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, 10 gallons Of boiled meat and
about half barrel of stale bread
soaked in water. This costs on an
average OF 5000 a month
At South Pasadena, Cal, lives Edwin |
Cawston, whose fame as an ostrich |
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 forming
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.. Cav
ston'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 enormous
demand for feathers have sprung from
a single cargo which he brought from
Africa. Here are displayed the pro-
eesses Of ostrich cultivation from the
beginning. lncubators 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.
}. G. Osborn, of Westfeld. Pa. has a
hobby for raising ginseng, the Chinese
drug which has found such favor in
this country. Until Mr.. Osborn took
It up, ginseng users had to content
themselves with taking chances of get
ting the favorite root from "sheng"
hunters, who seek it in the woods. or
pay enormous prices for the imported
article.
1t requires about eight years before
the first crop Of ginseng root can be
dug, and during all that time the grow
ing plants require constant watching
and great deal Of care.
Chicago has the largest mushroom
farms in the United States and its
farmers are women. In several low
brick structures, standing partly I'M
der and partly over ground at North
Western and Bowmanville avenues. are
$1,000 square feet Of beds. from which
during the height Of the seasons taken
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