The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-02-14
UGGESTlON FOIl
 NEW HAVEN ROAD
FARMING PUBLICATION SUGi- GESTS THAT. EXPERIMENTAL FARM BE CONDUCTED.
Says Railroad Would Increase Its Business With Short Hauis of Farm Produce.

Says Railroad Would Increase Its Business With Short HauIs of Earn, Produce.
 The subject of experimental farms conducted by railroads is something that has been in the writer's mind for a long time. Railroads in various parts of the country have adopted the plan of conducting experimental farms. The latest recruit is the New York Central. A press dispatch of recent date announces that the New York Central railroad has purchased run down farm near the railroad station in West Bergen. Monroe county in the western part Of New York. This rail- | road hopes to show by practical ex- ample how the farm, with a reason able expenditure, by fertilization and intelligent cultivation, can be made to yield good living for man and his family. The Long Island railroad has been conducting an experimental farm for years and Hal Fullerton. the ex- perimenter and practical farmer in charge of the work. has accomplished wonders in attracting attention to the agricultural possibilities of Long Is land
 The New York, New Haven & Hart ford railroad has an excellent oppor- tunity to take up this work in New England. Its lines cover practically all of the southern and central DOT tions of New England and at the present rate of acquisition it may eventually operate all the lines in New England. But without regard to the future of expansion of the roads sys- tenn 1t already covers a substantial portion of the territory cast of the Hudson river
 There is no section of the country that stands in greater need of a gen u1ne agricultural revival. Happily New England agriculture is exper enc- ing great awakening; but the awak- enlng Is not in proportion to it's pos abilities. The railroads of New Eng land, and especially the New York, New Haven & Hartford, is in a posi- tion to take an advance step in the c1rection of broadening the scope of agriculture. While. railroads enter the field of experimental farming sole iy from business motives, it, neverthe- less, is commendable. As a matter of faet business motives actuate all suc- cessful farming, no matter who is be- hind it. Rarely indeed do we find men engaged in farming for the mere fun of the thing. Occasionally such is the case and agriculture is advanced by the example of their improved methods of farm husbandry.
 Railroads are dependent upon the frultS Of agriculture for more or less of their business. Here in New Eng land crops that are grown locally do not play an important part in swelling the income of railroads. although po- tatoes, fruit. hay and garden truck en- ter into freight shipments more or less While we are not conversant with fre1ght traffic. yet we venture the opinion that railroads prefer to han dle short hauls within their territory in preference to long interstate hauls. IT such is the case we can easily ina g. lie that the more farm crops we grow in New England and ship to our near by markets the more money the rail- roads will make. In other words we believe a carload of apples ire ghted from a point in New England will net the railroad a larger profit than a sim liar car received at the terminal of another line
 We believe the railroads of New England have been an important fac tor in building up our manufacturing interests. We are proud of our un- rivalled manufacturing industries and the railroads should be pra ised for the part they have played in the advance ment. Now that our manufacturing centers have come to be the best mar kets in the world for farm products, we believe the railroads should branch out and encourage agriculture. When the farms of New England are able to produce enough IOOu-StuffS to feed our industrial population. this little north eastern corner of the Tinted States will be the most unique spot in the world.
 The officials of the New York. New Haven & Hartford railroad may well investigate the work of the Long Is- land railroad. the Norfolk & Western railroad, and other railroads too nu- merous to mention, and see what has been accumulated in inrrea sing trade commerce, innni grafton and real estate values. in sections traversed by these railroads If railroa ds have been able to improve and encourage agriculture in other sections of the country we know of no reason why our own pro- gressive ra:lToad should not undertake experimental farming in a section that needs awakening as does no other sec tion of the country.-Conn. Farmer.