The Washington herald., 1909-06-06


someness, It is growing marvel that
they persist in tiocking into the al
ready crowded cities, there TO suffer
for want of the necessaries OF life and
70 dwell I'm cramped quarters that
breed disease that claims appalling
numbers of them.
II the dwellers of the city who
struggle from one years end to an
other TO pay rent and TO get about
half enough to eat and 90 wear, only
knew It, they might enjoy freedom,
fresh air and plenty in the country
with no greater effort. TO such an
argument the answer always has
been that the poor city dweller has
not the means to get farm. That
answer Is no longer good. because It
is being demonstrated every day that
a farm isn't necessary. A little land
will produce more than living How
little? Three acres--twO acres--eyen
one acre and less. Intelligent effort
put upon little land will give t-le
average family more TO eat and to
wear, a better and more beautiful
place to live than the same effort I'm
a crowded city. That fact is well at
tested by thousands OF cases that may
be cited.
men and women are demonstrating
the possibilities of little land:
In 1905 ID. l.. Hartman of New Cum
berland, Pa, planted an acre OF early
tomatoes which broughC him S454, and
he got about an equal amount from
an acre and a half of later tomatoes.
He cultivated an acre and half OF
Strawberries that brought him S555,
and he got about $500 from an acre
OF early cabbages. This man, who Is
an expert gardener, also produced
from one-isxth of an acre in one year
successive crops of radishes and let
tuce and egg plant and caulifiower
that we're worth about s200-that is
at the rate Of 81 200 per acre per year
A woman living near Des Moines,
Iowa, owns two or three acres of
ground, one acre of it devoted TO
small vegetables. For several years
past she mas sold from this one acre
garden an average OF about $500
worth OF radishes, lettuce, early beets,
onions and the like every year. This
little piece of land also supports two
or three COWS, chickens and a horse
besides the woman's little family.
Another woman I'm Des Moines has
a back yard garden about 40 by 20
worth OF early egetabies-lettuce
radishes-and late vegetables and
choice sage besides supplying her
own household.
New Jersey asparagus grower cut
22,584 punches of asparagus from
twelve acres. all of which were not
in full bearing They sold at an aver
age net price of a little more than IL
cents per bunch, or $2,611 for the
crop. Counting out the unproductive
ground, this was at the rate OF more
than $3.50 an acre. This farm pro-
duced in ten years asparagus crops
worth on the average more than $500
per year.
Not more than two or three years
ago T. G. Kevitt of Athena, N. j., had
an acre OF strawberries that yielded
2l,7S0 quarts. Samuel Cooper OF Del
avan N. Y, grows strawberries out OF
doors as late as the first snow falls.
He supplies berries from August until
the end OF October--a time when few
others are producing them, and conse-
quently he gets high prices. He pro-
duced from a small patch as many as
twenty quarts per day through Octo-
Der. II. w. Graham of White Haven,
Nj. d., has produced $500 quarts OF
berries on less than one-fOurth OF an
acre.
Marvellous stories of onion growing
come from Texas and Florida and
other southern states. John Closner