Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-08-14
FARMING in SWEDEN
Difference in Methods Used There
and Here. A Visit TO Stockholm.

l promised l would write you an
other letter from Sweden telling
something about this country. H0r-
by. is located in the center of Skane,
and Shame has the reputation of be-
ing the richest part Of Sweden in the
agricultural line. The land here is
worth from 500 to 1000 crowns an
acre, according to location and i'm
provements. A good deal of land
sells for over 500 crowns without
buildings, but I've been told to raise
a good crop they almost have to buy
it first; that is, they have to buy ar
tificial fertilizer to enrich the land.
Those who do that are sure to get
fair crop if the weather is favor
able. One can easily tell who buys
fertilizer or who does mot.
Glover, timothy and sugar beets
seem to be the chief crops. They
raise sugar beets something like Am
erican farmers raise the corn, but
there is little difference in the way
of working it. The young men and
women folks go out and take so many
acres on contract, for so much mon
ey. They keep them clean and thin
them out and also take them up in
the fall. The farmers here make
their money on pigs and COWS. A
good COW is supposed to milk around
30 liters a day IA liter is 2 pounds).
Just now the creamery pays 8 ore
liter and the farmers buy the skim
milk back for l ore liter and feed
it to the pigs and calves. You can
easily figure how they make their
money and they also tend the COWS
here. They rope them out on clover
fields. I've seen as many as no
cows out this way and all belonging
to one farm. On a very hot day they
take them i'm or keep a light fly net
over their backs. The COWS are valu-
able here. I've seen them sold for
as high as 800 crowns. We have
more buyers now than sellers, on ac-
count Of the big hay crop here in
Sweden, and other grain, the big
gest crop they have had for many
years. The work here on the farm is
little different and somewhat slow
er. In America ''time is money!, but
here they say "sakta men val' (slow
but sure). A few days ago | visited
one farm of SO tunnland: That man
had 3 men hired by the month, one
hired by the day, one grown up boy
Of his own, 2 hired girls, and be-
sides, half a dozen other children
that were quite useful. Of course he
was only doing the directing himself
and he said he had all he could do
with that. For having so much hir-
ed help he was short of machinery.
Each man in this country only drives
two horses and sometimes only one.
One day l went over to a place where
man was raking hay with only one
horse. l asked him why he didn't
bunch up the hay. He said it was
too heavy for one horse. l told him
to put on two horses. 81 can't drive
them,' he said. | told him | had a
boy 10 years old that drove 6 horses
last fall. The man went away laugh
ing. l guess he didn't believe me.
When they haul in their hay they are
about 8 or 10 men and women and
just one team changing off with two
wagons. The hay and grain must
be all under roof if possible. The
other day l went over to one of my
old friends. He was cutting a piece
Of wild hay that day. At lunch time
when his crew came up to the house
counted II men and 6 women.
asked him why he had so many peo-
pie. He said, ~ wanted to have it
all done today" You understand,
they were cutting tbs hay with the
armstrong machines and the women
folks were raking it with their arm
strong hay rakes. The people here
are strong and healthy. A 7O-year
old person can do a good days work
yet.
was one of the visitors in Stock
holm during the Olympic games and
had the chance to witness the most
important games like wrestling, run
ming and jumping, also bicycle races
and sports Of all kinds. Some were
very interesting ard some were ex-
citing. also took in two horse rae
es. noticed great number of our
American boys taking part in every
game, and they received big num-
Der Of prizes. One could see our
American flag wherever one went.
Stockholm is known all over the
world for its beauty and delightful
climate, and its surroundings of
water and many beautiful parks with
flowers, fountains and statuary. An
other great thing worth mentioning
was the Swedish Singers union.
Over 5000 singers from all parts of
Sweden had gathered together. They
met at the Royal Palace and march
ed up thru the streets to the stad-
ium. l must say that l never saw
anything like it before. There was
almost an endless chain Of street