Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-08-22
FARMING IN GERMANY.
Observations Made By Hon. ". A.
Bahlke While Abroad
GERMAN METHOD VS.. AMERICA
By Necessity the German Farmer Uses Acre.
age to Better Advantage Than Americans


returned to Alma last Saturday after
spending the summer touring the diff
ferent countries of Europe. They
sailed April 3Oth, and landed at Cux-
haven. Germany, May 18th. The
fore part of their trip was spent in
northern Germany where they visited
relatives. While in Germany, Mr..
Bahlke made an extensive study of
the agricultural life and methods of
that country and has given to the
Record a few observations that he
made.
In an interview last Monday, he
said in substance: "In Germany there
are few large landed estates, some
OF which cover 100000 acres. These
large estates are farmed by men and
their families who live on these es-
tates their entire lives. They are
housed, fed, clothed, and provided
for at a stated basis of compensation.
The work on such farms is done
under one man who directs its man
agement.
Distinguished from the large es-
tates, are the small farms whose
acreage is from one to twenty or
thirty acres. There are very few that
are larger. The small farmers do
not generally live on their farms
but in small communities or villages
called doris. Here you see the
life of the German peasant in its
simplicity as it has existed for cen
turtles. The small farmers to the
poorest are comfortable. The homes
are comfortable but possess the two
predominant characteristics of the
German peasant, frugality and indus
try. They live within their means
be it much or little with the result
that they are a prospecting people.
On the large landed estates, agri-
culture is pursued in much the same
way as in Gratiot county. The inn
plements are similar while American
farm machinery is not uncommon
on these estates On the small farms
owned by the peasants, all farm
work is done by hand and most of
it by women The distinguishing
feature of this agriculture as COM
pared with ours, is the thoroughness
in which it is done. Eevry acre is
garden.
1t can be generally stated that
throughout Germany the crops are
the same as grown in Michigan.
The cow is the basis of their agricul-
ture and acreage of a mans farm is
always exposed by the number of
COWS he keeps. There is one COW
maintained on two acres OF land.
The farms have been under cult
vation for two thousand years and
when it is stated that they are still
as productive and fertile as they were
expresses the care Of the owner in
returning to the soil the equal Of
what is taken from it. The process
Of compensation is the basis of the
present successful agriculture and the
problem which must ultimately adj
dress itself to every successful farm
or. This affords a most interesting
study for every American interested
in agriculture and well worth the ex-
pcnse of any person who wishes to
attain the highest efficiency agricul-
tural pursuits in this country.
! #. The small farmer as has been stat
ed does not generally live upon his
farm. Their houses are small and
| the stables in which their COWS,
swine and horses are sheltered are
under the same roof which covers
their homes. 1t seems to the Amer
lean that on one side of the main en-
trance or hall of house should be
housed the live stock of the owner
while on the other side the residence
of his family. This sounds to us
both filthy and unhealthy but in fact
is is neither. The system OF caring
for the live stock is so perfect as to
make it neither obnoxious or I'M
healthy. The houses are constructed
irregularly and the stock or barn Of
one owner is often the front yard of
his neighbor While the atmosphere
is impregnated with odor uncommon
to our life, it is not unhealthy, and
to the German farmer not obnoxious.
| The COWS and oxen are usually used
to pillow instead of the horses as team
work on the small farm is seldom
necessary.
The cow is better cared for and Of
better class for dairy purposes than
is common with our farmers and this
is because the COW is the basis of the
peasants farming life. The Holstein
COW predominates. The swine are
Chester-White and the sheep are
Southdown, or as is commonly called
the black nose.
The clothing and the linen are still
largely made by the housewife and
the housemaid. Labor is paid a great
deal less than in America, but the
purchasing power of dollar there
is equal to that here.
Mr.. and Mrs Bahlke spent about
three weeks visiting the old home of
Mr. Bahlke's parents and relatives at
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. While in Eu-
rope they visited the principal cities
| of every country. Mr.. Bahlke has