The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-14
THE |MM|GRANA
ON SOUTA'S FARM
Continued from nrst page,.

continued from frst paEe,.
ful apple and peach growers At sun
Hyside, Arkansas, where there is a
large Italian colony. all seem content
to rent land and remain tenants In
dehnitely. At knobview. Missouri, and
fontitown, Arkansas, 1t is the open
aH'oiion OF every man to become
landowner and an independent farm
er.
Nearly all the Italians are small
farmers. Although they have enrar
ed in diverse forms of agriculture.
very Few have undertaken any acri-
cultural enterprise that requires a
large outlay OF capital, either for per
hhhent improvements or for tools. ma
chinery. or 1.-Two stock. There are no
extensive rico growers. for example.
ana no independent sugar cane plant
ers. Truck crops, cotton and small
fruits require little capital equipment
enc great deal of hand labor. The
necessary investment in land Is small.
one may become cotton .'cropper..
With practically no capital Where
The climate is healthful, the Italians
nave prospered; IN fact, in many cases
tney nave been able to surpass their
'elEhbors because they exercise eX-
IRENE thrift and interchangeable indus
s!. Ihey have been imitators rather
fhan originators, OF agricultural NC
mods Very few innovations, either
proved machinery. can be credited to
che Italians.
Origin of Immigration to south.
Perhaps one-half of the Italian farm
ers in the South came directly fro,,
Italv to Southern rural districts and
we're first employed as farm laborers
or lumbermen, or were tenant farm
ers
me large percentage of Sicihans or
South Italians in the South Is notable.
Probably more than four-fifths OF the
rural Italians in Louisiana are Sicil-
iaHs The nearly 1000 Italians at
Eryan. Texas. are Sicilians, and sew
erai other settlements are peopled by
Immigrants from Southern Italy.
Italian immigration to the South has
been In part stimulated by the cotton
and sugar cana planters. who, dissat-
iShed with negro labor. alaI med at the
increasing scar!ty OF every sort of
farm labor. and Gesii Gus OF settling
acceptable farmers on the immense
tracts of improved land have for
years heen stiirIng 10 turn the tide
"f Immigration Scuti.ward a num-
Der OF colonies. rctahl. in Texas and
Louisiana, seem to have originated in
hy some Italian fa!r m Iaborer, who, ar
ririnS practica-iy without money Mt a
southern port of entry, sought en-
pln%nient on IL EeiGhho"ing plantation.
The Italian So far hos had little ef-
fc@: IN G'srlarinE The negro farmer or
tenan: IN Tie South on account Of
thei: efficiency. the Italians are prac-
tic;t!!? assured Ct IS much land as they
may wish to cultivate, but their de-
mandS have not assumed sufficient pro-
PARTON to force out the negro The
Italian farm laborcr seems to be held
in higher esteem in the sugar produce
ing area of Louisiana than in any 9TH
or section. as regards tho future Of
the italian farmer in tho South. he
seems to have made q permanent Dlac,
for himself on tho Louisiana sugar
Plantations, and as Il truc. farmer on
tile coast. and in the Mississippi VAL
ley. 1t Is certain that many of the
present day tenants and farm laborers
Will purchase land and become indie
pendent farmers.
Snidcse Community In North Carolina,
There are no italian farm colonies in
Virginia, but one of the most instruc-
tive object lessons relative to the
qualifications of farmers OF this race
is furnished by, the North italian ag-
ricLltural community near Valdese, \.
c. Yaldese Is located in the eastern
part OF Burke county. North Carolina,
nbout six miles east OF Morgantown,
the county seat IL Is In tho foot hills
Of the Blue Ridge Mountains, on tha
Asheville division OF the Southern Rail-
road, about sixty-eight miles east OF
AshevilIo and seventy-thrce miles west
+ q u