The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-09-05

to the farm" mania took possession of him. He
wanted a small farm in the Ozarks, but he ex-
pected to cultivate 1t in the usual way.
Casting about for a location Mr.. Smith found a
tract of 26 acres three miles beyond the terminus
of the National cemetery road that runs out from
Springfield. 1t was a rolling tract, with sloping
fields and a bluff and a woodland. Under the
bluff was a cave, known as Fishers cave, from
the name of a former owner of the place.
The st. Louisan looked over the place. pur-
chased it and became Farmer Smith. But before
making the purchase he determined to become
Cave Farmer Smith,, to be the pioneer in a new
and unique sort of agriculture. Somewhere he
had read of the mushroom industry in France,
where abandoned quarries, artificial caves, were
rented to growers of the delicate fungus which
is so much in table, demand by epicures when
they are assured that it is not a toadstool.
He studied diligently the haunts and habits of
the mushroom, which knowledge led to his estab-
lishment of the first and only natural cave farm.
From mushrooms to rhubarb and celery and frogs
Farmer Smith progressed by easy stages, expert
menting as he went along, until finally he devel-
oped a system of intensive underground farm
ing, which has given him a unique position
amongst the million of American farmers.
Mr.. Smith learned, in the first place, that
Fishers cave has an even temperature of 60 de-
grees all the year round. August may fry and
sizzle at 100 in the shade of the saplings just
outside the mouth of the cave; inside, back be-
yond the curve where daylight dies and midnight
darkness prevails, the temperature is go degrees.
January zero weather may, and does create ice at
the mouth of the cave; back in its depths the
thermometer registers exactly so degrees.
Fishers cave differs from the ordinary cavern
of the Ozarks, of which there are many, in its
freedom from a disagreeable and chilling breeze.
There is no apparent air current, no clammy
feeling, and yet the atmosphere always is fresh
and there is enough moisture to give growth to
such plants as flourish in the dark. This is a
highly important factor in cave farming. Many
caves drip so much moisture from the roof that
1t is impracticable to grow crops of any sort.
Fishers cave has a happy minimum of dripping.
In many places the roof of limestone is dry
enough to light a match by friction.
There was some clearing" to be done in open
ing up this novel farm. No trees, bushes or
weeds, of course, we're in the way, but there were
stala gmites to be "grubbed" out, and there were
downhanging stalactites to be removed. These
rock formations, built up by the slow-dripping
process of ages, were broken off where their re-
moval was found necessary, and they served as
material for banking up a lake outside of the
cave, fed by clear water from a perennial river
that runs through the cavern and empties at its
mouth. This lake came in handy later on as an
outdoor picnic ground for bullfrogs when they
wearied Of the inner recesses.
Having cleared his farm, Mr.. Smith found 1t
necessary to introduce some soil. There is a
clayey substance called ochre covering the floor
here and there, but many Of the little fields"
were foored only with the bare limestone. The
first task was the building of a boat, for river
navigation was necessary in order to develop the
farm. There Is only one way to get to and from
the Smith farm, and that is by boat.
Mr.. Smith built a fatboat, rs feet long, 9 feet
wide and foot deep. This peculiar craft is so
steady that the pastime of rocking the boat" is
impossible. One may stand in any corner Of the
boat without causing 1t to tip up. The boat has
no oars, no paddles. no motive power, except a
pole operated by the muscles Of the pilot. A
wharf at the mouth of the cave, where the river
is about forty feet wide. is the mooring place of
the fatboat when not In use.
When Mr. Smith wishes to get into his farm,