The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-07
ITALIAN FARMERS
: SHOW MISSOURI
Just by Way OF Illustration. This
Goodly Story Has Been
Written.
MANY COLONIES OUT WEST
Some Thoughts for Some vir-
ginia Folks to Take Up
and Consider.
MANY COLONIES OUT WEST
by w. J. LAucK.

In addition 70 Rohcmians and other
slavic immigrants from Austria-H
gary who havo settled in Missouri,
there are quite a number OF Italian
farmers who have successfully Engaged
In agriculture. Two OF the most i'm
Doriant colonies of southern Europeans
are y 3larsniie!d, where there are a
considerable number OF North Italians.
together with Few Germans. and At
hnobNicw. where there is Il urosperou.
community OF North Italian fruit
growers. The history OF theao colonies
is important In showing the results
which may he expected from the plac-
ing OF the recent Immigrant upon
cheap farm land IN the Southern
states. especially in Virginia
The MarshneId COLONY.
MaIshneld is situated near the centre
Oh " oNhttr county, on lhc main line
OF the 81. LOUIS and san Francisco
hai'foad' AMI mas population OF
about 1000 Inhabitants. T%enty-six
miles vest IL the city o; Springfield.
the largest Z taat section VI the
state IL th!s locality there are ten
Italian families rom the province OF
Tyrol. IN Austria; also four German
families from Hungary and three from
Germany.
Tue farms owned BY the foreign
average being about 125 acres. Inc
total area owned ~ these two races OF
people conpriscs more than l,37l
acres, with valuation, incluGin. TIM
proyeinents. o! over S52.11o. There
mas been no Immigration TO this town
since 1888, and the majority or the
the people have been in lie locality
Yer ."shty three years. During taat
Time they nave become AinerIcunizrc,
and the majority OF the men are now
citizens.
HLntory Of settlement.
Thirty-tnree years ago the n.st Of
The foreigners Uousnt iand in the To-
cality. and Iae Iust conner purchased
his land IN lcss. The people came be-
cause OF the opportunity 10 secure
cheap land some OF witch was held
Tor sele by tue raiiroad company The
first land was uougat tor - TO IS
per &c aud the lrr.ns were very
favorable TO the purchaser.
Most @: the Italians lleI worked in
the ia!nes OF Illinois snu Colorado be-
fore tAey came. and mad saved enough
money to make 4 nrst payment on
their property. some .: the Germans
had worked ia the United states, but
the majority cam= direct from austria
Early Struggles OF the LINING ruut
Farmers.
During the iirat lew years living was
exceptionally hard Tor the new SET
tiers. Inc natives looked upon then,
with suspicion The foreigners them
selves. having paid most OF their ready
money Tor the land, had very little
spare cash 10 buy The necessities OF
lie. The :i-st year was spent in
clearing little plots Of land on which
TO raise garden truck and crops to
feed the stock. It is said that eggs
could not be given away during the
first lew years. and that butter would
not sell for more than cents per
pound. Most OF these men left their
families during the winter TO go
Colorado or Illinois 20 work IN the
mines tor few months. The money
earned in this way helped to tide
the families over until their land
could be made more productive.
Crops Raised.
The crops raised by these immi-
grants vary. Corn and hay are grown
for feed, and wheat finds u ready mar
kct in Narshfield. These three crops
take UP over 90 per cent. OF The cul-
tivated land. The gardens furnish all
varieties OF vegetables including
beets. onions. potatoes. cabbages and
lettuce. The largest vegetable crop
is the tomato. Large areas are set
out each year and the tomatoes TSfnd
Il ready sale at the canning factory
at Marshficid. The factory buys all
the tomatoes for SIS ton. Ii Is said
that $50 to $50 per acre can be realized
from this crop. Nearly all the foreign
ers have fenced part OF their wood
lots and pastures with wire. turning
them into hog pastures, and allowing
the hogs to ruin wild and feed on
acorns and other nuts. IN this way
the hogs can be raised for market
at very little expense; and when sold
farmer. The italians are found to
keep an average Of fifteen hogs to
the farm, while the average of the
Germans is 80 per cent. less.
Recently dairying has been well
started throughout the section. and has
proved profta BILE also. Each foreigner
keeps q COW, and many have five or
moro. One of the most successful
dairymen in this section is an italian,
whose son attended e dairy course at
the Missouri Agricultural College In
one year he sold $500 worth OF butter
Some make butter, others sell cream,
and two retail milk in Marshneld.
During the fall and winter many of
the foreigners spend their time cutting
cordwood and drawing 1t into town,
furnishing their customers with al
years supply. These occupations, to-
gether with tho sale of poultry and
dairy products. furnish them with
money for their living expenses.
Local Opinions of the Foreigners.
Though tho foreigners are not rails ,
ing large amount OF produce. they
are making good livngs ana are
spoken of as very Industrious. The
merchants. bankers. and all that have
dealings with them speak very highly
OF thoir honesty, integrity and ability
as farmers In fact IL is said thew n RI