New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-10
Novel Farm Colony
Advocated by Ralph Peters

Of shipping by train. II is the simpler plan
for those near New York, as 1t saves
handling two or three times
so the indications are that the plan is
a success and that others are following
suit?' / asked.
Yes. there has been a great agricultural
awakening on Long Island. You see. the
farmer hasn't time for book learning. He's
tired out at night and doesn't feel like
sitting down and studying books on farm
ing But If he can go and look over the
fence into his neighbours field and see what
is growing and how he goes about it and
ask him questions he'll go and do like
wise That's what we've been trying 20
do for Long Islanders, to give them an
ocular demonstration Of what can be done,
and it has accomplished just the results
We aimed at
Has any other railroad tried anything
Of the sort?''
Yes: We were the first, but the New
York Central and the Pennsylvania are
both taking il up. Down in Georgia ana
ont west they are following suit. Even
the railroads in South America are trying
the experiment. The italian government
has also started along the same lines. OF
course, We tried the scheme originally
with the purely selfish motive Of benefiting
the Long Island Railroad. but. as you see
a tremendous amount more than that has
,een ACCOMPLISHED. A great work has been
started. II looks as though it might be
the beginning Of q worldwide movement in
agriculture.
Mr. Peters spoke enthusiastically. This
farm development idea has got TO be part
h. a. ia cra y q
wnen he is talking of it
viii you keep up your work them"
asked.
THAT brings me to another pian.,' he
answered. Il want TO see the milk in
6tsirv re-established Oh Long Island. Il
ght to be the great base of the milk
suprly for New York. At Medford. Sta
ticn No 2. we're building a model farm
hcuse, TO cost about 5000 with all mod
ern improvements: a small barn. that
will house about ten COWS. with space for
e,silage and a dairy 10 handle the milk.
We're going TO try 20 show the farmer
that there is no reason why he can't live
as comfortably any one else.
Suppose a man buys. say, twenty acres
~ land Twelve acres he can cultivaua
iufensively as a market garden ard or
,iard He can keen ten COWS and raise
slfalfa on three acres ana. corn on thee
acres as fodder for his stack. one acre
be can reserve as a paddock for the cat
lie That leaves him an acre for has house
harm. dairy and grounds. rs has twelve
.cres for intensive cultivation and his cat
tie furnish him with the irest fertile r
possible"
am not a farmer by profession. and as
Mr.. Peters talked easily of 'ensilage." in
t.nsive farming" and other mysteri Jus
things 1 hcean 10 wonde- how he had
found time from his routine work to make
himself familiar with such host Of agri-
cultural details: also. ] offered up a silent
praver that ! might be- able 10 report his
words correctly. but he was Interested in
his subject and unaware Of nay panic
stricken frame Of mind, so he went on
Enthusiastically.
Take a community Of twenty or thirty
frniiies. each having about that amount
Of land; they could have their own store
k..c,,er, who could handle their vegetables
fr.it. milk. butter and eggs for taem He
could also sell them such staples as they
might need such n community could have
its own church and its own school. Each
could raise certain vegetables ana fruits.
They needn't all raise the same things;
they should study the market, and then de