The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-08-14
RAISE PICS, SAYS
THIS AUTHOR
FARMER
ONLY CROP THAT PAYS, SAYS
WELl-kNoWN NEW ENGLAND
WOMAN WRITER-NoTHIN IN
EooS-BETTER BUY THEM.

BOSTON, Aug. l4.-How TO make
an abandoned farm pay is the pracu-
cal question which Miss Kate San
born. "A well-known New England au-
thor, one time professor at Smith col
'ege, has been treating I'm life and lit.
erature during the last few years.
Her conclusion. based on experience.
is that raising pigs. hay and vege-
tables is a distinctly profitable occu-
patton; that hens might likewise oe
profitable. provided that during the en-.
tire year the owner is able TO keep
them under personal supervision, and
that there is practically no other use
20 which the generality OF New Eng
land farms may be put.
Miss Sanborn may certainly con-
slider that from the standpoint OF ex,
perience she is capable of judging
both the possibilities and impossible
ties OF abandoned farms. During the
last II years she has been engaged in
a personal encounter with farm life
Of all sorts and conditions She has
raised-or rather tried to raise
everything from peacocks 10 pie
plant" and her success has been as
varied as her efforts.
She has watched chickens and duck
lings fade feebly away by ones and
twos and threes. She has also
watched In vain for the appearance OF
the smallest bit OF butter at the bot
tom of churn full OF thick yellow
cream. On the other hand, she has
seen her sQuashes and corn and pota-
toes growing to record size. winning
prizes at the county fair and the best
OF markets.
excitement OF city life, Miss Sanborn
went TO visit an old nurse OF her
father in Metcalf, Mass. There she be-
came enamored OF the idea Of farming.
and forthwith took up her frst 'aband-
oned farm" few years later, hav-
ing brought her first farm into excel
lent condition. she took up a second.
Breezy Meadows" where she Is now
living.
II haven't any cows now" she de-
clares. IL find 1t much cheaper TO
buy my milk of my next-door neighbor.
l haven't any hens. either. In spite OF
the fact that have big henhouses
with running water and all sorts OF
excellent apparatus standing empty.
It's cheaper TO buy my eggs. ! cant
stay here winters. and | ind that |
can't make anything when | have TO
miro some one to take care OF the
fowls. It's the same way with ducks
and geese-they don't pay
With vegetables the case 10 differ
ent." she went on. II you get really
good plants to begin with, and take
great care Of them. you can raise the
very beat. and they are always market
able. Hay. too, Is very profitable
crop. l sell a lot OF hay.
rs there any money In fruit? Well,
| used to ship on a good many bar.
reis OF apples every year but--l've
given II up. BY the time they're
picked. barreled, hauled to the sta
ton, and the transportation charges
paid. they leave very little profit IN
the owner.
One other thing I've found profit
able" she said with little smile.
"and that--prosaic as IL may sound
is pigs. | have four OF them now. and
they certainly are worth while as bust
ness propositions.
But" she exclaimed. with growing
energy, the trouble Is that most farm
ers do not realize what pays there
and what does not. and SO they go
toiling and moiling their lives out
they and their poor wives. with no
pleasures, no Joy. nothing but work
that deafsens and numbs brain and
body.
why, when I invited that very
bring his wife and take tea with me
some night he stammered: Why
WHY know we should enjoy II very
much. but we haven't been away from
home at night for years-there's all
the chores and all the supper work
to do. you know
Il couldn't help saying to him:
Well. | wouldn't live your life II
got all the money In the world for IT,!
And the trouble Is. the farmers
have to go through all this drudgery
and then not even find money In It.
Our land is worn out here In New
England" she ended. IT'S a pretty
commentary on the posi-
blllties OF farming in this section
when the big New Hampshire hotel
keepers have TO send to Boston for
their vegetables and fruits.
II think farm life is a splendid and
beautiful thing but In order TO live It
as II should be lived farmers must
realize just what they can and what
they cannot do and then concentrate
their energies OH the possible things
Barring out unnecessary hard
work. which often means little real
profit. they might have chance to en-
Joy their really beautiful surroundings,
all the while making them just little
more beautiful and that would make
farm life what II might and should