Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-06

decreasing in productiveness, because
tile drains are not kept up, and as
result of lax methods OF farming
and INSCRIPTIONS landlords raising
the rent when tenant icreases the
yields by better farming.
Better without Hired Help.
Scotch dairymen say that the size
of farm most profitable-is one which
can be run by the family, without
hired help. Married men get 1925
a year, with house and potatoes fur
nished. Single men receive from SITS
to $3.50 and board.
Most buildings are of stone with
slate roofs and many last longer than
century. They are usually placed
around an open court, the house on
one side, with the cheese room and
COW stable forming the side adjacent
to the house and connected with it.
The hay barn forms another side,
usually connected with the COW
stable. and the horse barn and tool
shed are on the fourth side.
Holland Energy Ahead of Illinois.
Sailing up the Mas river we saw
COWS in the pasture and hay being
made in the meadows several feet
below the level Of the river. The
whole country is a perfect network
of canals. In many parts they are no
more than 10 rods apart. The canals
take the place of fences between the
fields, and are bridged from pasture
to pasture.
Something Of the energy of the
HoIlanders can be imagined by con-
sidering that all the country roads
are either macadamized or paved
with brick, and that all of the water has
to be pumped out of the country.
Holland is less than one-fourth
the size of Illinois and its really good
land one-twelfth the area of this
state. But Holland has 100000
inhabitants noted for their thrift and
cleanliness, and exports S27,000,000
worth of butter and cheese annually.
At this rate Illinois would have to ex-
port $10S,00O.0O0 of these products.
A poor farmer is seldom found as
the Hollander is educated to dairying
and appreciates thorough, careful
methods. His children are well ed
ucated. Most of the farms are own
ed by the men operating them and
are kept in the best condition and
the farmers drive to town in a sub
stantial we'll finished two-wheeled
carriage behind a sleek, chunky, &C
tive horse.
Special Care of Pastures
Through the summer the pastures
are gone over frequently and the
COW droppings gathered into piles
with shovel and wheelbarrow. thus
preventing the soiling of the grass
and the tufted appearance so often
seen in our pastures. This material
decomposeS during the winter and
then is spread upon the pasture. In
August the well rotted stable manure
from the winter before is hauled on
to the pasture, eight to ten tons per
acre. The liquid manure is saved
in ctsterns, and the cleanings from
the canals, after rotting in piles, are
spread on the land.
Some meadows are cut twice in a
season and under ideal conditions
the grass sometimes grows 1 8 inches
in a single month.
1t often happens that the piles of
hay are wet through by rain and
nave " 10 AOSpAodu ebAO uEASO' OuI
mustiness or decay is never permit |
ted.
The houses are usually richly and
furnished. much better |
taste being displayed than is often !
seen in America. The furniture is |
Of good quality and many times some |
finely carved old pieces are seem
by Arthur J. Bill for Hill |
nois Farmers institute.