The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-11-10
.FADS IN FARMING
PAY Big PROFITS
MRS. STRONG, WHO BECAME IN
TEREsTED IN PAAIPAS GRASS,
HAS PROVED 1T.
PLUMES SELL FOR THOUSANDS


Farm Bought From Don PicO, Last
Governor of California Before the
American Occupation.
LOS ANGELES.-Tha so-called
'fads" in farming can be made to
pay big profits has been proved by
Mrs. H. w. R. Strong on her 220
acre ranch near Whittier. Mrs.
Strong is one of the best informed
scientific agriculturists in California.
She believes in fads, enjoys them and
bought 1850 spineless cacti, largely
as an experiment, and set them out
knows how to make money out of
them.
Interested in Pampas Grass.
A few years ago Mrs. Strong be-
came interested in pampas grass
the grass on which South American
cattle feed and fatten, She thought
it might be grown in Southern Cali
fornia. She tried it and found she
was right Then she bordered the
driveway between her home and the
road with pampas grass and pome-
granate trees. The grass grew tall,
taller than the trees. 1t plumed
amazingly, until one day Mrs. Strong
discovered that Belrin was paying
100000 for pampas grass plumes
to be used as decorations, and Lon
don about half az much.
This led her to believe there might
be a market for the plumes nearer
home. There was, and it paid her
$1,000 in two years.
She Grows Spineless Cacti.
"A year ago last month Mrs. Strong
on the ranch. The plants cost her
$500. Since then spineless cacti has
advanced in price. Mrs. Strongs
cacti has grown amazingly, and re-
Gently an expert estimated its pres
ent value at close to $4,000. Mrs.
Strong admits that she has had sew
eral offers to sell at fancy prices, but
has refused them all.
incidentally Mrs. Strong believes
in her fads to the extent of inform
ing herself thoroughly on them. For
instance, she investigated the food
value of pampas grass, having it an
alyzed by DR.. Harvey Wiley, who re-
no~+oa - ~ ho y,ooro p,+ri+iOuc For
cattle than alfalfa or clover and sec
ond to eastern timothy. Her reason
for having that analysis made was
simply that team Of her horses de-
veloped a great fondness for the
grass and she wanted to know if it
was good for them.
It's an Expensive Fodder.
Similarly she has investigated the
food value of the spineless cactus,
finding it somewhat less nutritious
for cattle than alfalfa, the difference
in tons being fifteen of caeti as
against twelve of alfalfa; but finding
also that it is a balanced food for
hogs--in other words that hogs will
fatten upon 1t if given no other food.
The cactus today, however, is far too
expensive for cattle fodder, having a
much greater value for planting pur-
poses, the demand being constantly
in excess of the supply.
The Strong ranch, punningly nam
ed Ranchito del Fuerte, which trans
lated means the Little Ranch of the
Strong" was bought from Don Pho |
Pico, last governor of California be-
fore American occupation, and was
the first land he sold in this state.
The price paid was $25 an acre, and |
Don Pho offered Mr.. Strong his entire |
holdings of 5000 acres at a price Of
So an acre. The ranch adjoins the
old Pico dobe house, which the gov
ernor called his home during his two
terms in office and which will soon be
presented to the state by the city of
Whittier, which now owns it, to be
preserved as a historical museum.
Mrs. Strong is president of the
Governor Pico Museum and Histori-
cal Society, which restored" the old
home She is also the only woman
member of the Los Angeles cham
Der of commerce. She organized the
Club, is a charter member Of the Fri
day morning Club, a member of the
board Of the Arizona-California re-
clamation service. She has many
fads. They are good fads, and they
pay.
BIRDS. BEASTS AND FISHES