The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-05-21

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in advice to the planting of crops, purchase OF
live stock, tools, equipment seed, etc. 1t also
gave valuable advice in the organization of CO
operative buying and selling organizations among
the settlers the construction of an extensive
scheme of roads, drains and irrigation works; as
well as advising the farmers to the best meth
DDS of leveling, checking and smoothing their
lands and the preparation Of seed beds and the
planting of seed.
In order that no time be lost in the production
of crops the first year the board helped the farm
ers by having big outfit to prepare land for
seeding and irrigation and actually to put In crops
of barley, oats and wheat, taking the pay for the
work out of the CROP
Net Returns to Settlers.
Here are some of the net returns to individual
settlers from some of these crops: G. w. Baker,
Is acres of OATS $1O5; E. O. Messenger, IS acres
of barley, S36S2S; William Deveney, 20 acres of
barley, $66.1O; Carl Nelson, Is acres barley,
S47675; A. /. Maxwell, II acres barley, $3134O;
E. E. Wils AZ acres barley. $6963S; Joseph N.
Thornton, 81 acres wheat, $624.50; Frank NJ Hall.
Al acres barley. $955.15; Roy White, GO acres
barley, 81 $1,000.
The survey and mapping of the settlement land
were based largely upon the story told by the Soil
map. Samples of soil were taken at such inter-
walls as was necessary to make an accurate map
of the whole area
With this in nand the sizes of the farms were
determined so as to give considerable choice to
intending settlers keeping each farm within such
limits that one family, with the help OF one farm
hand could take care of it.
Consequently the farms suited to fruit growing
were made small while the lands suited to farm
crops were laid out in larger units running as
high as 100 acres. In some cases a tract of grain
land went with small tract of fruit land, say,
IL or 20 acres the two tracts sometimes not being
contiguous.
The state land settlement board was not in
sensible to the social needs of the community,
consequently it set aside fine tract of % acres
as a community center 1t is planned to erect
unon This plot a community hall where different
social and business organizations will find meet
ing rooms There will also be laid out and
equipped athletic grounds where the boys may play
baseball and the girls lawn tennis. Upon this
community center is fine grove OF native oaks
where picnics are held. 1t is also the intention OF
the board to establish on these grounds voca
tional school
Thus Durham has been made model rura
community. 1t is benefited not only by the pater
nal influence of the state but by the fraterna
character, of the settlement.
State Buys More Land.
The state not only supplies financial backin:
up-to-date farm practices 1t has inaugurated boil
system of collective buying and of collectiv,
selling thus insurng the settlers against the wile
of sharpers and profiteerS.
The settlers themselves become imbued witt
agricultural ambition and pride. The close in
timacy of the settlers begets common feeling o
fraternity.
The concentrated nature of the population
works for friendness and socability. and thu
the proverbial duness of ordinary rural life
done away with and the life of the farmer seem
less irksome and burdensome, all of which ipure
to contentment. happiness and prosperity.
Acting upon The recommendation of Governo
Stephens the California legislature of 1919 az
proprAlted S10O0,000 for continuing the land sci
Element system, and also authorized bond issu
of S10.OO00O0 for like purpose. Under thes
provisions the state land settlement board ha
purchased a 10,O00-acre tract of farm land !
MERGED county In the central part of the Sa
JOAQUIN valley for settlement in the near futur'
along similar lines as those governing the Du
ham settlement. In the settlement of this secon
tract the preference will be given to the men VIII
served In the war.