Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-30
CO. OPERATIVE FARMING.
Miniature New York Farms Furnish
Opportunity for Cooperative In
tsnsiVe Farming

| modern trade and industry has not en-
! tirely succeeded in checking this nat
ural tendency. In fact, the artificiai
! life which has resulted from the
| croWding together of thousands of peo-
| pie in our modern cities has had ten
| dency 10 turn the minds of intelligent
| people again toward a mere simple
| mode OF existence.
In the last few years the tendency
| on the part of those whose business in
terests lie in crowded cities to take up
| then homes in the country has become
| very marked Today the prosperous
| business man, as well as the small
| wage-earner, is seeking rome in the
| suburbs, and in 50 doing is becoming
| to a greater or less extent a cultivator
| of the land. The man of means is cul-
| tivatng his acres as recreation,
| while his less fortunate neighbor is
| seeking by the same process to pro-
| vide for himself a better living at
| smaller expense
| This desire on the part of the man
| with limited income has led to the de-
| Velopment of intensive farming in this
| country on the same lines long prac-
tised in some of the older countries of
4
one of the wealthiest countries in the
world today, owes its prosperity large
| ~ to the full development of it's agri-
| cultural possibilities. The little farms
of Paris. often comprising but two or
three city lots, have been among the
most interesting sights of that city.
| The gross receipts from the Partisan
/ farms have been estimated by experts.
1 H. 60. al,
ket gardens. and double that for the
| small ones, in which early vegetables
| are grown in frames. Moreover, the
soil of these gardens is not naturally
fertile, and must he enriched by arti-
| fetal means.
| The United States government has of
| late years recognized the value of in
| tensive farming and has devoted large
| sums of money TO the development of
| scientific and profitable methods of ag-
| riculture. The leading universities of
| the country are maintaining depart
ments of agriculture, and the govern
| ment has established many experiment
| tai stations in various parts Of the
| country The results produced at these
| stations have been phenomenal. Soil
| has been put to the use for which II is
| best adapted; blight and insects have
| been largely overcome and labor, ma
| ter1aIs, ana products have been figured
| down to scientific units of profit. By
| these means farming has today be-
/ come an industry which offers profita-
BILE occupations, in its numerous spec
| ialt1es, to more people than all other
| trades and professions combined.
| The idea of intensiVely cultivating
| small tracts of land has been particu-
| larly successful in the territory ada
| cent to New York City by reason of
| the fact that the city supplies a never
| failing market for farm products of all
/ kinds. Besides this the recent increase
and improvement of transportation
| lines from New York to the surround
| ing suburban territory has made it
| possible for a man to maintain a small
| farm and at the same time to do bust
ness in the city.
| Recognizing these facts, few
| shrewd developers OF suburban tracts
have been offering of late little farms
| of from three or four lots to one or
| two acres in size To those familiar
| with scientific agriculture. a one-acre
area is vested with great possibilities
city backyard. approximately TWEEN
| ty feet square, can be made To produce
enough vegetables to supply family
| On this basis an acre of ground, which
contains 1880 square feet, would sup
1 ply vegetables for over 100 families In
| addition to this, the acre, if it be locat-
| ed near extensive land and building
| improvements, may at the proper time
| be cut up into building lots and there
| by prove an excellent investment.
One of the most notable develop
| ments OF this nature is at Bayshore
| Long Island. The soil of this section
is especially well adapted to the rails
| ing of all kinds Of garden truck. ana
the demonstration viii prove of great
value to the farm colonists. A plan OF
| cooperation has been developed in con
nection with this demonstration farm
1 which will insure small costs and
| large profits. Heavy and expensive
l farm machinery and experienced labor
may be hired by the day or hour at
| practically a cost price. The same is
true as to the purchase OF fertilizers,
nursery stock, seeds, etc. In addition
the small farm owner has always the
advice of an expert farmer 10 fail back
on in case of need.
| Another well-knoWn development of
this nature is near Princes Bay. Staten
Island Each farm comprises at least
| five city lots, and the larger one con-
| tain an acre and a half. "A company
plants each garden in the spring and
harvests the crop when ripe leaving
the individual the pleasures of farm
life without many of its inconVenien-
| ces and responsibilities.
The organization consists of a gem
eral superintendent a man in charge
of bungalow construction. head gar
dener, assistants and watchmen.
Bungalows are constructed for buyers
according to their own designs at 10
per cent above actual cost wateh-
man patrols the development, night
Land day and thus protects The homes
i and farm products against Vandalism
j Other incidental t6hveniences are also
provided for the Httial tarmersS-N
Y. World. %s5l Ten: