Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-04-28
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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;
we'll as advising the farmers as 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, $105; E. 0. Messenger, IS acres
of barley, $36S.2S; William Deveney, 20 acres of
barley, $6610; Carl Nelson, IS acres barley
$47675; A. l. Maxwell Il acres barley S3134O;
E. e. Will, At acres barley, $696.39 Joseph N.
Thornton, "a acres wheat, $6245O; Frank NJ Hall,
Al acres barley $955.15; Roy White, 60 acres
barley, $1,39O.50.
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 accurate map
of the whole area.
With this in nand the sizes of the farms were
determined 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 tract of grain
land went with small tract of fruit land, say
Is 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 1t set aside fine tract Of % acres
as a community center 1t is planned to erect
upon this plot 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 a voca-
tiona school.
Thus Durham has been made a model rural
community. 1t is benefited not only by the pater-
nal influence of the state but by the fraternal
character of the settlement.
State Buys More Land.
The state not only supplies financial backing
for the settlers. but it educates them in the most
up-to-date farm practices. 1t has inaugurated both
a system of collective buying, and of collective
selling, thus nsuring the settlers against the wlles
of sharpers and profiteers.
The settlers themselves become imbued with
agricultural ambition and pride. The close in
timacy of the settlers begets common feeling of
fraternity.
The concentrated nature Of the population
works for frendliness and sociability, and thus
the proverbal dullness OF ordinary rural life Is
done away with and the life of the farmer seems
less irksome and burdensome all of which inures
to conentment happiness and prosperity.
Acting upon the recommendation Of Governor
Stephens the California legislature of 1910 ap-
propriated $1,0O0.000 for continuing the land set
Element system, and also authorized Il bond issue
of $100000O0 for like purpose. Under these
provisions the state land settlement board has
purchased a 10O00acre tract of farm land in
MERGED county In the central part of the San
Joaquin valley for settlement in the near future
along similar lines those governing the Dur
ham settlement. In the settlement of this second
tract the preference will be given to the men who
served In the war.