Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-06-27
.RANCHER'S STORY
ILLUSTRATES HOW
MANY SUCCEED HERE
Shows "City Feller" Why Ranch.
ing Is Better Than Farming
on Puget Sound.
STARTED WITH NOTHING.
Now Has Fine Little Place Nearly
All Cleared-Gets Top Prices
for Products.

| All because he thought the argument
presented by one rancher in THE
WASHINGTON STANDARD three weeks
ago, replying to the city feller"
who declared there were no farmers in
this country, but only ranchers, Ed
win A. Henderson, a local real estate
dealer, contributed the following fact
story of one ranchers experience to
demonstrate to the 'city feller" he is
partly right and partly wrong.
| For the contribution frankly admits
that the individual concerned is not a
farmer, but it proceeds to show that
he is far better off as rancher. The
story is probably only one of many
readers of THE WASHINGTON STANDARD
could relate, but it is worth presenta-
| tion for it's revelation of conditions
as they are in this part of the state.
Here it is:
Editor WASHINGTON STANDARD:
Dear Sir: Won't you consider the
wee protest of real estate agent in
your city, who wishes to tell about a
| little city feller who with actual book
learning went onto ranch and who
can prove to that city feller" that in
plain English he is liar, and yet that
he speaks the truth?
Eleven years ago a man down and
out financially purchased a tract OF
state land four miles southeast of the
corner of Fourth and Main street
Olympia. From the little cash he hat!
he made a one-tenth payment on the
tract and assumed that he could make
living, clear and farm this tract OF
raw land, build his house, barns and
make money to boot. Now laugh,
"city feller." He bought some lumber,
rough, knocked up shanty, took his
old COW, few household goods, and
his family and moved from rented
house in Olympia onto the ranch.
Eleven years ago, no money, NO
horse, nothing. Today he has a neat
cottage, barns, model one. up-to-date,
out-houses, fencing, and the major part
of his ranch cleared. And his land is
so rich that he hauls the manure from
his barns and spreads it on his uninl'
proved lands. Money in the bank, Ii
cows, high testing ones, worth 500 OF
better apiece, all farm machinery and
tools necessary, and next year he ex
poets to clear and place in cultivation
the balance of his unimproved lands.
Following carefully mapped out
course along the lines Of business
methods in farming, he has place to
day he would not consider $4,000 q
decent offer for. Taking his land lit
tie by little he cleared and as he
cleared he built up with home pro
duced fertilizers the soil to the highes,
state of fertility. When he sold a
product he sold to his trade, not to the
middle man. When he got a customer
he held him by the quality Of his prod
ucts. Butter, eggs. berries or what
ever he sold or sells, no middle man
touches. He deals direct with his
trade.
When he sells butter he gets cream
cry eprices because it Is better. Wher
he sells berries he gets 50 when the
other fellow takes them to the store
and $3.50 Is his best return. He makes
the profit and all of it. Fifty cents Is
not much, you say, but this morning
he sold to his customers IL crates and
made in addition to the store price Sc
but understand he delivers the goods
Quality counts with him. His berries
are big as hens eggs, his butter is the
golden, sweet smelling kind that states
men crave, and his trade, some Of
whom have bought from him for ter
years, are the best livers of our city
Aren't you ashamed" l asked him, "tc
peddle your producer" mot on your
life," he said. I'm proud to do 1t, fol
know no creamery can deliver butter
like mine, no farmer can sell berries
better than mine and the stores aren''
in it. My berries are delivered to my
customers with the dew fresh upor
them.
|; Il silage my hay in summer and my
cows eat no boughten feed till late II
the fall. | buy grain and Eastern
; mountain hay in winter-I don't feef
| potatoes and such stuff. Say, a ton o.
potatoes has SO worth of food strength
to the ton. feed feed and | sell but
ter at creamery prices. | fertilize m,
) land. Right now | am hauling fertil
, izer on to raw lands because my clear
ed land won't stand more. but ! an
not losing 1t. ] expect TO clear the raw
= land next spring and with manure
all over it spread thick, will 1t grow
, stuff?
; 81 don't raise hay for winter feet
T IT green and buy hay in winter. | bu'
grain for my stock-l don't feed trasi
. and | get highest testing cream ant
. butter. | am going to buy more Ian,
. as soon as get the balance OF m.
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