The Detroit times., 1914-09-12
HOMAN FARMER
MAKES FARM FAD
PAY BIG PROFIT
Owner Of Large Ranch in Cali
| fornia Works Successfully on
Scientific Lines
RAISES PAMPAS PLUMES
|COVETED BY DECORATORS
Ascertains the Food Values OF
Spineless Cactus-is Owner
of Historic Ground

4 Il Los ANGELES. CAL, sept. IL
that so-called .fads" in farming can
Be- made to pay big profits has been
proved by Mrs. II. w. X. Strong on
her 220-acre ranch near Whittier
Mrs. Strong Is one of the bestin-
formed, scientific agriculturists In ca+
ifornia. She believes in fads, enjoys
them and knows how to make money
out OF them. ...
Al few years ago Mrs. Strong be-
came interested in pampas grass =
the grass on which South American
cattle feed and fatten. She ihousht
a might be grown in Southern Cali
fornia. She tried II and found slie
Vas right Then she bordered the
&riyeway between her home and the
road with pampas grass and pome-
rranate trees. The grass grew tall
taller than the trees. 1t plumed
Amazingly until, one day, Mrs. strong
discovered that Berlin was paying
81 .OO0. 900 for pampas grass plumes
Is be used as decorations, and Lon
don about half az much.
This led her TO believe there might
81 & market for the plumes nearer
home. There was, and It paid her
". 900 In two years. -
4 q wear ago last month Mrs. Strong
k0urht 1850 spineless cacti. largely rs
a. Experiment, and set them out on
the ranch. The plants cost her Sow
and were bought from the Ocean VIZ
"a Intensive Farming colony. since
then spineless cacu have advanced
~ price. Mrs. Strong's cact have
irown amazingly, and recently rep
fasentatiye Of the same company es-
{inated their present value at close
"a s16. 900. Mrs. Strong admits that
1he has had several offers to sell u
}nncy prices, but has refused them
4 incidentally Mrs. Strong believes
q her fads to the extent Of inform
IL herself thoroughly on them. FOR
/nstance. she investigated the FOOD
5alue OF pampas grass, having II an
klyxed by DR.. Harvey Wiley, who re-
korted Il to be more nutritious Tor
/. {aftie than alfalfa or clover and sec
ma only to Eastern timothy. HeiI
{eason for having that analysis made
xas simply that team OF driving
(. horses she owned at the time devel-
{Ded q great fondness for the grass,
B ma she wanted to know II It WAS
hood for them.
4 similarly she has investigated the
nod value O. spineless cactus, md
~ Il Is somewhat less nutritious sor
LATHE than alfalfa, the difference In
xone being Is of cacd as against IL
u alfalfa: but finding also that II Is
balanced food for hogs--in other
lords. that hogs will fatten upon II
n given no other food The cactus
fodav. however, Is far too expensive
1o1 cattle fodder, having a much
; krcater value for planting purposes,
he demand being constantly IN ex.
hess of supply.
X The Strong ranch, punningly namei
kanchito del Fuerte. which. transiat-
Ia means the Little Ranch OF the
kfronR.v was bought from Don Pho
bico. last governor OF California De-
nre American occupation, and was
he frst land he sold In this state.
rho price paid was SIS an acre, and
Bon Pho offered Mr. Strong his entire
Holding OF 5000 acres at price OF
AZ an acre. The ranch adJoins the
6ld Pico dobe house which the gov
krnor called his home" during his
( Two terms In ONCE and which will
koon be presented to the state by the
<y Of whittier, which now owns II,
% Be preserved as historical mu.
Mrs. Strong 10 president Of the
|1oyernor Pico Museum and Histori-
4 II society, which restored" the old
kome. She II also the only woman
nomber Of the Los Angeles chamber
commerce. She organised the
1oGll club, II q charter member OF
|hs Friday Morning club. member
z me Ruskfn club. and IL on the ad-
S,sory board Of the Arisona,C california
defamation service. She has many
iads. They are good fads, and they
pay