The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-11-20
FARM COLONY ron OUT OF
WORK.
A London Experiment In Helping
the City's Unemployed.

the City's Unemployed.
The horticultural efforts of Lon
dons unemployed were subjected to
searching examination yesterday af-
iernoon when members of the Central
(unemployed) Body for London and
| representatives of all shades of poll
ucal opinion from boards of guardians
and borough councils attended the
Hover show at the Hollesley Bay
larm colony, near Melton, in Suffolk.
lhe estate, comprising 1900 acres,
which is now the municipal property
OF London ratepayers, has been re-
claimed from the waste land that
surrounds 1t for many miles, and has
been found admirably adapted for
agricultural pursuits, says the Lon
don Morning Post. The first batch of
men arrived In February, 1905, and
from then up to June, 1907, I'LL men
have entered the colony. The men
were selected through the various dis
tress committees; the qualifications
were that they must be married, of
| good character and resident in Lon
don for at least six months, and pref
erence was given to men likely to
adapt themselves to country life. The
average length of residence upon the
colony has been ten weeks, and the
average weekly payment to the fam
lily of each man has been IA shillings
pence. Gardening is the staple in
dustry, the gardens comprising about
lob acres, of which nearly seventy
acres have been planted with fruit,
there being 10000 fruit trees on the
estate. Then there is the farm, pri-
marily sheep farm, nearly 600 acres
being arabic. 1t is intended mainly
for the emigration men, who are
taught milking, butter making and the
general management of stock. The
works department includes range
OF workshops, for farmers, black
smiths, carpenters, joiners, painters
and plumbers Other subsidiary in
dustries are bee keeping and house
building.
AT present the colony is in rather
critical condition. The object of the
| governing committee is to train men
to be practical farmers, men who will
remain permanently on the soil. Ac-
cordingly they wish to institute a sys-
tenn of small holdings to be worked on
cooperative lines. Each man was to
have a cottage and five acres, of which
three acres were to be devoted to gar
dening. That would involve the erec-
tion of at least fifty cheap cottages,
costing about G140 each, suitable for
occupation by the men and their fam
lilies when they were being trained to
be farmers and then the erection of
twenty-five cottages suitable for those
who were ready to embark upon small
holdings, but at present there are on
ly twelve such cottages and the local
government refuses to allow any addi-
tions to that number. Further, it pro-
hibits any man from staying upon the
colony longer than sixteen weeks.
The result, according to Bolton Smart,
the superintendent Of the colony, is
that his work to a great extent is
handicapped.
The prizes were distributed in a
marquee by Miss Baker, of the Gen.
trail (Unemployed) Body. The ex-
hibits were all of high quality. The
vegetables were, perhaps, the finest
feature of the show; there were some
pretty specimens Of pot plants, and,
considering the fact that the soft
fruits are now departing and the hard
fruits have not yet appeared the fruit
exhibition was very fair. The prizes
were divided among the happy twelve
who live with their families in cot
tages and till their own garden plots.
In view of their tanned countenances,
their healthy physique and their gen.
eral air of stolidity, which the soil
usually impresses on her sons, 1t was
difficult to believe that a year ago
these bucolic farmers were tramping
the streets of London in sheer desti-
tuition. One prize winner in particu
lar regarded his exhibits with the pro-
fessional eye of an Andrew Fairser-
vice. A year ago he was a disconso-
late butcher in Stoke Newington. A
st. Pancras clerk was declared first in
the growing of salads, and bakers
roundsman showed special skill in the
matter of pot plants. Before these
men came to the colony they knew
absolutely nothing about horticulture.
AS for the other men, the impression
one gathered was that they were per-
fectly willing to remain on the soil
If they could only obtain a permanent
footing. They seemed to like the col
ony but they missed their wives and
children and they felt the insecurity
of their position.
DareopaI DaruIizri ritiec