The Ordway new era., 1910-01-21
The SmoH Han on q Big Ranch

Tho SmoN Han on Big Ranch
A. common mistake Of city men
who wish to try farming Is to buy
large ranch with small available
means 70 handle 1t. Most men with
few thousand dollars will get moro
satisfaction out Of good suburban
place Of five or ten acres. In moving
to such tract the change Is not SO
violent as transfer 10 a big Colorado
ranch. There Is independence, rest
and relief, with less worry and risk.
Most town men looking toward farm
home are niddle.aged and tired OF the
strenuous life. II am weary Of look
ing into peoples mouths" said Dem
yer dentist the other day. II am
thinking Of change to the country,
l have saved about 5000 and have
my eye on farm of three hundred
acres with a lot OF fruit trees"
This man was we'll into middle life
and had never pruned or sprayed
tree nor performed any kind Of out
door work. 1t would be anything but
relief for such man to tackle
large proposition and try to make a
living. One OF the exhibitors at our
fruit show last week was Mesa
county man who had just realized
u, 900 net from his orchard. When
he came out to Colorado two years
ago from Nebraska he knew nothing
whatever about horticulture but has
mastered the business Ia that time.
Elderly, unframed men, or women
even. are often persuaded by plausible
agents to buy large, costly farms on
part payment and but little working
capital. Such persons cannot get
over the idea, probably obtained from
their experience as summer boarders,
that the farm Ia place OF compare
tive ease.
It Is true that on small. fertile
place 1t is quite possible under right
management to live quietly at small
expense. A large place, especially II
1t is irrigated, is a regular business
enterprise with something on the
mind of the owner every hour Of the
day-worry about the crops, the irri-
eating water or hired help; some-
thing is likely to 20 wrong at any
time. So much tempting rubbish is
floating about in late years in conn
try life magazines and books that
many people get the bucolic fever to
their peril and harm. Many mon buy
large tracts who would be better
OF On smaller ones. They seem to
think they want farm when all they
are ready for Is a three months out
ing In the mountains. Some kinds
Of town people are likely to do we'll
on good Irrigated tract such for in
stance as men with money enough to
support them anywhere they please
or they may be young, hustling busi-
ness men with farm enthusiasm and
some capital back east.
Older men, who In their youth were
fond Of certain lines Of farming and
still have skill, industrious habits
and gumption, may make good as we'll
as average working men with sense
enough to begin within their means
no matter at what sacrifice OF COM
fort and former habits, and to keep
within that scale and hang on until
they get results. For those who have
serious doubts about the proposed
venture, the safer place for them is
where they can go back and forth
daily to their present occupation.
This combination works we'll and pro-
duces some OF the best instances of
satisfaction with change to country
life. We have thousands OF instances
of this\ kind all around Denver in
which the transplanting Of family
has worked wonders.-Field and Farm.