The Detroit times., 1908-08-15
RAISE PICS, SAYS
THIS AUTHOR
FARMER
ONLY CROP THAT PAYS, SAYS
wEll.kkOWN NEW ENGLAND
WOMAN wRIrER-NoThlN6 IN
EGos-eETTER BUY THEM.

BOSTON. Aug l4-How 10 make
an abandoned farm pay Is the practi-
cal question which Miss Kate San
born, n well-known New England au-
thor. one time professor at Smith col
'ege. has been treating in life and lit
ersture during the last few years.
Her conclusion, based on experience,
Is that raising pigs. hay and veee-
tables is a distinctly profitable occu.
patton: that hens might likewise oe
profta bic. provided that during the ell.
| tire year the owner Is able 10 keep
them under personal supervision. and
that there Is practically no other use
to 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 sne has been engaged IN
personal encounter with farm life
OF all sorts and conditions She has
iaised-or rather tried to raise
everything from peacocks to pie
plant" and her success has been rs
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 al the bot
tom OF churn full OF thick yellow
cream On The other hand, she has
seen her sQusshes and corn and pota-
toes growing 10 record size. winning
prizes at the county fair and the best
or markets.
Years ago, tired OF the glare and
OK element OF city life, Miss Sanborn
went TO Wait an old nurse OF her
father In Metcaif, Mass. There she be-
came enamored OF the idea Of farming.
end forthwith took up her first 'aband-
oned farm" A few years later. hav-
ing brought her first farm into excel
lent condition. she took up a second.
Breezy Meadows" where she 10 now
living.
Il haven't any cows now" she de-
clares. Il And 1t much cheaper 10
buy my milk OF my next-door neighbor.
| haven't any hens, either, In spite OF
the fact that | have big henhouses
with running water and ali sorts Of
It's cheaper to buy my eggs. | can't
stay here winters. and / find that l
can't make anything when have TO
nire some one TO take care OF the
fowls. It's the same way with ducks
and eeese--they don't pay.
with vegetables the case In differ
ept." she went on. III you get really
good plants TO begin with. and take
great care Of them. you can raise the
very best, and they are always market
able. Hay. too. Is very profitable
crop sell lot Of hay.
rs there any money in fruit! Well.
| used to ship of a good many bar
rels Of apples every year. but-Ive
given Il up. BY the time they're
picked, barreled, hauled TO the sta
ton, and the transportation charges
paid. they leave very little profit to
the owner.
"One other thing I've found proht-
able" she said with q 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 deadens and numbs brain and
body.
why, when | invited that very
neighbor OF whom | buy my milk TO
bring his wife and take tea with me
come night he stsmmered: Why
WHY know we should enjoy 1t 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 And money In II.
Our land is worn out here In New
England" she ended. It's a pretty
discouraging commentary on the posi-
btlities OF farming I'm this section
when the big New Hampshire hotel
keepers have 10 send To Boston for
their vegetables and fruits.
II think farm life Is splendid and
beautiful thing. but In order TO live 1t
az II should be lived farmers must
realize Just what they can and what
they cannot do and then concentrate
their energies on 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