Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-02-12
Immigrants AS FARMERS.
How the Italians Have Become Pros
porous Land Owenrs.

The Italian as farmer. He Is
thought Of as a day laborer, a fruit
vender, a member Of a section gang,
a "Black Hander," but not often as
an agriculturist, says the Boston Her
aid. But nevertheless any individual
or group interested in developing the
farming districts Of the United States
would do well to study the italian
contadini as a valuable contribution
to the farming industry. Such inves-
tigation need not involve journey to
Italy, as there are numbers Of Italian
truck and fruit farms scattered all
through New England and in close
proximity to New York city, south and
west. These farms prove beyond any
question that as an extensive cultiva-
tor Of the soil the Italian cannot be
beaten.
Near South Glastonbury, Conn.,, are
about seventy farms owned by Ital-
ians. The first pioneer Of this inter-
esting colony was John Carino, who
came to South Glastonbury sixteen
years ago to cut ties for the New Hav-
en- and Hartford railroad. At the
end Of two years he had saved enough
to purchase a small farm and send
for his family.
Every member of the family toiled
early and late until the place yielded
enough income to enable him to buy
more land, and now, fourteen years
from the date Of his first purchase,
Mr.. Carino owns 1900 acres, all, with
the exception of a small wooded por-
ton, under the highest cultivation.
There are peach orchards, apples,
plums and pears. Grapes are grown
in quantity and also a variety Of
small fruits and vegetables.
This year, If nothing unforeseen oc-
ours, he expects to market 10000
bushels Of peaches. His two eldest
children are attending school in Hart
ford, and no doubt will go to college
later.
Some twelve years ago ]. H. Hale
of South Glastonbury, the largest
peach grower in New England, decid-
ed to employe an Italian, one Luigi
Piro, on his place. The neighbors
shuddered and prophesied a tragic
end for the entire Hale family.
Today. this same Luigi Piro IS part
ner with Mr.. Hale in one Of the most
remarkable orchards In America. AS
time passed Mr.. Hale grew more and
more to confide in Piro's judgment,
so that when ne advised converting a
4O0-acre plot, which had always been
considered by Americans too diff
cult" to grow anything on, into a
combination peach and apple orchard,
Mr.. Hale decided to take the plunge.
1t required a good deal Of blasting to
dispose Of rocks and stumps, but that
accomplished, the soil was absolutely
virgin and ideal for fruit growing.
Between the apple trees are plant
ed peaches. The space allows for a
twenty-year growth of the peach
trees, when they will have finished
bearing for market purposes. By the
time the apples will have matured so
as to require more room the peaches
will be removed. After the product
of this orchard has reimbursed Mr..
Hale for his outlay with ten per cent
interest, he will deed one-half Of It,,
or 200 acres, to Piro. He prophesies
that this will be accomplished in less
than ten years, and that he and PRO
will then each own an orchard worth
$4,000 over and above all cost.
The natives around South Glaston-
bury speak well Of the Italians, who,
in the beginning had to make their
way against a wall Of Yankee preju-
dice. They are anxious to give their
children educational advantages. At
Matson Hill, South Glastonbury,
stands a little white school house,
which will serve as an illustration.
In Connecticut the country schools are
assessed by the taxpayers Of each dis
trict, so that the apportionment for
school tax is voted by the men who
pay it.
In a New England farming district
such as this the results in former
years were obvious. The schoolhouse
was little better than ruin. The
roof leaked, the windows were brok-
en-, and it needed paint. Year after
year a meeting was called to consider
it's restoration, but any such PROPOSE
ton was regularly voted down. Grad
ually, however, the Italian land own
ers gained strength and the moment
they controlled the majority vote they
demanded a new school house. Many
of them contributed lumber from
their farms and more gave their SER
vices toward it's construction.
There are now thirty-two school
children who attend this school, thirty
Of them Italians. A young American
girl is teacher. She enjoys teaching
the little Italians, and the parents
cannot do enough to express their
appreciation for the efforts she is put
ting into her work. In winter the men
turn out and shovel a path for her
through the woods, cutting off a de-
tour Of about two miles she would
otherwise have to walk.
And now for the "bogy man." the
treacherous Italian Of tradition, con-
cealing a stilleto in one pocket and a
bomb in the other, ready to do you
with one or both on the slightest pro-
vocation. Like the little darkey in
bed," when you turn down the blank
ct, Il reckon him not dar."
There are bad Italians, as there are
bad men of every other nationality,
but in no greater proportion. The
gentry of black hand notoriety con-
fine their attentions almost entirely to
fellow countrymen. They are not
looking for jobs on farms and seek
ever the city and the crowds.
The Italians are gregarious. They