Las Vegas optic., 1913-06-27
ITALIAN FARMS A
CURIOSITY TO
AMERICANS
AN AIR or ARTlFIcIALITY I'M
PRESSES VISITORS At THE
FIRST GLIMPSE

AildIl, tldlyy June 1ts7- ~ hSihVSAs y
the American commission on agricuI
tural cooperation visited one Of thi
model farms Of northern Italy today
1t is the property Of Count di Ponti.
The estate comprises about l,00C
acres which is an unusually large hold
ing for Italy, although member oi
the commission was able to inform
the Count di Ponti that he owned q
farm Of 1900 acres in Texas, with
out considering himself a curiosity
The farm is divided into two parts, an
irrigated portion which the proprietor
reserves for his own use for dairy
farming, and a dry portion rented on
the share basis, known in Italy
as the 'mezzadris system.
The visit Of the Americans was
made holiday for the laborers and
farm hands although enough men were
kept at work to demonstrate the CO.
operative enterprises on the farm. Au-
tomobiles of the American party swept
into a farm yard enclosed by a brick
house, the porches of which gave
vivid scene Of drying clothes, banda.
mas; wrinkled old peasant women,
smiling men and swarm of curious
children. Fourteen families are hir
ed by the proprietor to farm his part
Of the estate Nothing Of interest
from the cooperative standpoint was
learned on this part Of the farm. The
commission was Therefore taken to the
dry" part where live the tenants.
The score Of families which are en-
aaged in farming this portion of the
estate live in little village and here
the members of the commission were
given their first view of the many pos
sible phases of agriculture cooperation.
Men omen and children were lined
up aleag the little street; hats and
bsndarrs we're waved in welcome, and
the little children murmured their half
frightened "Graci" when coppers were
slipped into their hands. This part
OF the estate is divided into holdings
OF about 80 acres each.
The principal money products Of the
little farms are cheese and silk worms
Each farmer raises enough of genera
farm crops to support his family, but
mos IS his attention is given to dairy
ing ard to Raising silkworms. TIL,
cheese is made in plant cooperative
ly owned by the farmers and built witt
their own money Three men were al
work making Swiss cheese at the
time. The farmers bring their milk
to the dairy where it is weighed and
marked to their credit. According to
the amount of milk given to the dairy
the farmers receive a percentage OF
the profits derived from the sale Of
the cheese. The waste from the milk
used in the cheese making is fed to
hogs comparatively owned, which when
fattened, are killed in an abbatoir
likewise comparatively owned, for
nothing is lost on an Italian farm.
Therg is also a sausage factory. Ev
erything these farmers buy comes from
a comparatively owned store. The
warehouse held familiar types Of Am.
erican agricultural machinery. The
silk worms are turned over to the pro
prietor who takes a certain portion
Of the cocoons for his share. All Of
the farming is done on share basis,
the proprietor puttino up the build
ings, the farmers contributing the la !
Dor and the farm products being di-
vided between them. 1t was plainly
evident that the Count di Ponti was
very popular with his tenants. Some
years ago when his tenants were re.
qpi-ed to strike because Of a general
strike Of all tenant farmers in that
FicihlJy, ne was elected by his tenants
president Of the strike committee, SO
that "a fell the odd task Of set
tlin7 trike against himself.
Undoubtedly the paternalism which
exists in the comparatively conducted
enterprises Of this type prevents Am
etieans from receiving many impress
sions Of practical value from them.
But it made great impression upon
the delegates, that farmers Of this
class could be brought to such com
narrative economic independence
through the medium Of cooperation.
Abege an the extreme utilization OF
everythisg impressed the Americans. /
No trees are cut down for fuel. for
instance Each year as many branch.
es are cut off as are necessary and
the next year the same process is /
followed with other trees. This gives /
the country a curiously fantastic an :