Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1908-06-19
ON Colonization
Mr.. Editor.
I)ear Sir:

my humble judgement has been pro-
posed in recent years that contained
the germs Of greater growth and de-
velopement for Berkeley county than
this. How its plans may mature and
in what they may result remain to
be seen. The principle however, Of
dividing up the large land holdings
into pieces of such size as will admit
of the poor man owning his own lit
tie home and making his living on his
own plot of ground, is one that must
I be resorted to sooner or latter to allow
/ our county to produce its fair share of
support of the human family.
| The large land holder who prides
himself on viewing his broad acres and
with sweep Of his hand says, Gan
this is mInep, while the net cash re-
turns from all that he owns would not
exceed what he could earn if working
on a salary, is an enemy to progress.
Yet there are many such in our
county.
| Suppose the owner of two hundred
acres would part with all except what
! he could himself develop to the great
est producing power selling it off in
| ten and twenty acre plots to families
/ that would each make living on its
piece. By investing the proceeds the
present owner would realize greater
+ income than he does at present on the
whole, and have his home besides. In
3 addition at lest ten families would
ducers. The county would be richer
/ by the amount that these families
would produce and the markets for
everything within the county would
be increased by the requirements of
the ten families. Population compos-
ed of such home owners is the most
! sturdy and reliable that a community
/ can have.
/ There are advantages that would
accrue to the county on general prin-
clpels but for Berkeley county there
are in store other advantages peculiar
to its natural conditions. One is the
developing Of the dairying industry.
For years past attempt after attempt
has been made by local and by out
side capital to establish and maie tain
creameries in the county, but each
time failure has finally resulted to the
Mt of of hal vNrnNn1
facts IN regard to the natural advan-
tages of Berkeley county for this in
dustry which confirm the baffled pro-,
motors II the belief that nature has
/ done more to make this dairying
! country than she has for many sections
where the business is condu cted sue
cessfully. Abundant streams of
/ pure water, plenty of shady pastures,
peculiar growth of vegetation aud
atmosphere conditions, all combine to
make an ideal home for the dairy herd.
Without exception the managers of
creameries have conceded that the
milk from Berkeley county cows
yields an unusually large percentage
of butter-fat a. that of quality that
is unsurpassed. One creamery man
who is the owner of seven cream
cries in southern Pennsylvania and
Maryland, and who for time at
tempted to operate cream cry in
Berkeley county affirmed that al
though he was compelled to give up
the business here, yet the best grade
of butter and largest amount for the
quantity CT milk that he received was
from the stations in Berkeley county.
| Now, with nature smiling so au-
! spiciously upon an industry in our
midst why should failure follow every
effort to establish it? The question
has but one answer and that is because
our farms are SO large that there are
not enough people engaged perm a
nently in farming IN Berkeley county
to do the work necessary to care for
the cows, to produce the milk in suf-
ficient quantities to maintain cream
cries on Il paying basis.
| If man and his family owned
twenty acres of good land, and kept
what COW he and his family could
care for and could raise feed for on the
place the creamery would pay him
generous income for keeping cows.
Then if there were enough families
so conditioned IN the county, the dairy
| business would be worth more to the
county than it's limestone.
Again. fruit raising has in recent
years become valuable industry in
the county, but limits are being reach
ed in this line for want of people to do
the work necessary for proper Guilt
Walton and care, so that only certain
fruits prove profitable because only
they can be cared for with the labor
+bo+ ;s o,,ailahle II others have to