The Washington herald., 1909-07-18
Ten. Colonies Settle in the
0ZarkS, of Missouri.
THEY PURCHASE SMALL FARMS
Instances known Where Buyer Pays
for Land from Proceeds OF First
Crop-ItaIianS. French, Swiss, and
Others set Good Example of In
tsRsIve Farming TO Americans

The total land area 0f the state or Mis-
scuri amounts 10 something over 7eoeo
square miles. OF this area about 5000 is
comprised IN the ozark region OF South
ern Missouri. The University Of Missouri
and the Bureau Of Soils Of the Depart
ment OF Agriculture have agreed 10 make
cooperative soil survey In the State. OF
Missouri. and Prof. c. F. Marbut. OF Co
lumbia. Mo. is engaged in the prepara-
ton Of a reconnaissance soil survey OF
the Ozark section OF the state.
II IS within this region and the similar
section in Northern Arkansas that the
largest number OF apple trees has been
planted during the past twenty years OF
any section Of the United states. The
apple orchard interests Of the ozark sec
ton have experienced great vicissitudes
in the production Of the crop. but annu-
allv hundreds Of thousands Of trees are
planted In the different parts Of the sec
ton.
Europeans settle There.
In addition TO the orcharding interests
OF this section. numerous colonies Of i'm
migrants from different European coun-
tries have settled in and around the Ozark
region OF both Arkansas and Missouri,
and the majority Of these colonies are
engaged In the production OF market
garden truck and fruit crops. IN Mis-
souri, alone there are ten different col
cnies. speaking half a dozen different Eu-
lropean languages. Italians. French. SWISS
/ Germans, and Poles. have come IN con
/ siderable numbers. and although the He
brew race is not usually considered to be
agricultural in its instincts. there are
prosperous Hebrew colonies engaged II
agriculture within the state
/ II is estimated that there are from ter
10 fifteen million acres Of undevelopec
land stiu remaining IN the State OF Mis-
souri,. Some OF this area is mountainous
and rough. but a considerable portion Of
II occupies the level fiat-topped ridges
Of the Ozark plateau. and thousands o.
acres Of land suitable for agricultural de-
velopment can be found In the narrow
winding valleys which lead down from
the plateau to the prairie country.
Foreigners Want Less Land.
The Americsn farmer requires larg'
areas Of land for the production Of graiI
or the support OF livestock. He needs
quarter section or more 10 constitute
homestead. The foreign immigrant. com
ing from a region where land is scarc
and population is congested. has learne'
to make a living and a surplus from al
area OF land so ridiculOusly small as q
excite the derision Of his American
neighbor.
The foreign colonies in both Missouri
and Arkansas have set their America
tneighbors an excellent example CT thrift
and have shown some startling signs o
prosperity. Not infreQuently the foreig-
family las created from the soil In In
first year a crop value not only sufhcien
To paw for the original cost OF the ian
J and the first primitive Improvements. bu
also 10 leave an excellent cash return o.
! the basis Of the capital invested. Wit
every succeeding year the foreign col
; onists Law by a portion OF their none
and invest It in the building Of churche
and schools. In fact. each little group O
colOnists soon becomes a self-suppOTtin
: community. with a large excess Of prod
3 ucts OF the soil to be exported for cash.
Sell Truck at n Profit
The foreign colonists, in addition to tn
production Of garden vegetables for thei
= own support, market their surplus vegS
] tables at highly remunerative prices, an
4 as rapidly as they can bring their Ian
, into good condition they proceed TO st
out fruit trees and vineyards and 10 al
tend and cultivate these in the same fl
tensive style 10 which they have bee
accustomed in their European homes.
Paupers are unknown. the schools an
churches are well supported. and the fol
: eign colonists. with scarcely an exCeI
? tion, have not only set themselves 20 tI
= reclamation Of the waste land, but also [
/ learning as rapidly as possible the funds
] mental principles OF the new gOvernmeT
o under which they are making the
homes.