The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-15
Turning Their Swords
 Into PlOwshares
Continued From Page Ten,


 sonal loans to the tenants to cover the cost of stock and farm implements $ and it furnished advisers and scientific farm; instructors. That movement has practically revolutionized some parts of Ireland The lawbreaking farm ten- ant has disappeared and the jails of the farming districts, which were for merly filled with land agitators, are now used for public schools. Today most of the troubles between the Brit ish government and Ireland are con- fined to the cities.'
 At this point pr. Mead showed me large number of photographs of tie farms a1t homes which California has made oW of part of one of Leland Stanfords big ranches. This ranch lies under the shadow of Mount Shas- ta and, at the time the government bought it, it consisted of about 6510 acres. some waste land and other parts devoted only to grazing. The government bought the land and irrl- gated it from Butte creek. It had soil surveys made, and inaugurated such irrigation and drainage schemes as would bring the whole into use. It then subdivided the land into small tracts and planted them. It sunk wells and built houses for settlers and the
 
 farm animals There were 15o farms in all, and in addition 21 homes for farm laborers. each consisting of two- acre tract with a comfortable house The houses of both farmers and ten- ants are lighted spy electricity, and they have screened sleeping porches, bathrooms and all sanitary convent ences. That settlement was completed only last year, and the subdivided tracts were then offered to farmers on 40 years time. with a provision that they could borrow 60 per cent of the cost of the permanent Improvements and pay for them within 20 years All loans were to bear five per cent h. terest.
 The farms were quickly taken and today the whole comprises a live, up- to-date. model farm settlement. Some Of the men who secured farms seeded to alfalfa have harvested three crops this year. and one of them has had a gross return of s3000, or about $60 per acre. The settlers who took farms on which grain crops have been plant ed did equally well. and all are be- ginning to realize that they can soon earn enough money to pay off their debts. None of these farms has been granted without Investigating the would be purchasers. The land settle ment board insists that each man must have a good reputation and have at least $1500 of his own with which to start work. The average cash capi- tai of those approved has been about S3000. The farms have been sold on such terms as will reimburse the state for it's outlay and at the same time materially add to the taxable value Of the property.
 One of the most interesting features of this farm settlement is it's arrange ments for farm laborers. It is inn possible to run any kind of farm without more or less outside help, and the labor question is one of the chief troubles of the farmer of to- day. On this settlement at Durham, Cal. the board set aside 21 homes for such labor, and as soon as 1t an- nounced that they were ready for oc- cupancy 1t received 132 applications for them. Each home has two acres of land, and the houses are grouped together on one of the most slightly parts of the settlement. There is e uniform water supply system planned for these homes, and they are of such a nature that each laborer's family can grow it's own fruit and vegetables and have it's own COW and poultry. The average capital of the farm labor has ranged from $15 to $4700. It is found that many of the men have money in outside investments. They prefer to work for others to taking up farms of their own, and they will form a stable source of farm help for the set clement.
 (Copyrighted. 1918, by Frank G. Car
 penter.)