402 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



ORIGIN OF THE PINE STUMP FARM. 



BT HON. WM. LADNER. 



Read at Big Rapids, Feb. 8, 1889. 



Years ago the lumberman visited this region, and realized hia thousands 

 or millions of dollars from the lumber, but left the land almost valueless, in 

 many instances; not even worth the taxes; so that they could be purchased 

 for a nominal sum. 



Now comes a man with a small family, and settles, with a view of making 

 a home. He builds a cabin, with only his noble wife to help him, and as 

 they have no team, rolls up the old logs, and at night burns them, picking up 

 the rubbish by the light of the log heaps. He hurriedly fixes a small piece 

 of ground and plants a few potatoes. During all this time the family has to 

 be kept, and are constantly wearing out their small and scanty supply of 

 clothing, so this farmer looks around and beholds his farm blooming like a 

 potato patch, for now he is a farmer. 



His small supply of provisions is about gone, so in the morning he says 

 good bye to his little group and sallies out to the lumber camp or shingle 

 mill in search of employment, of which there is always enough. A little 

 money earned, he returns to his home. On rising the hill over-looking his 

 cabin, what meets his gaze? The potatoes are nicely up; not a weed to be 

 seen. His faithful wife, with the help of her little ones, has pulled the last 

 weed. They have also stripped the bark from at least an acre of stumps — 

 this being their supply of fuel for the summer — the farmer not having the 

 time to.leave a supply of wood. At home he feels as never before — under 

 his own roof with his winter potatoes in sight, but not a pig or a cow. 

 Think of this for a home! It is noble. He is an independent farmer. 



Haying and harvest time is at hand. He again goes in quest of 

 employment, with his red bandana in hand, in which is a change of 

 wardrobe. Being absent about a month, he has accumulated a small sum, 

 which looks big to him, and again he makes his way towards his home. 

 On arriving he finds everything lovely. It has been a busy summer at home. 

 The wife, with the children, has picked huckleberries, enough for their own 

 use and some to spare, while the black caps and red raspberries look good 

 enough for a king — and they have plenty of them. All this time the pota- 

 toes are growing, and a few more old pine stumps are stripped of their bark. 

 The time now is fast approaching when winter, with its cold and piercing 

 winds, sweeps down the old slashing — when it is necessary to provide for the 

 little family, before the farmer leaves for the lumber camp, which he is 

 compelled to do. Some clothing of a cheap kind, shoes and provisions 

 exhausts the pine stump farmer's supply of cash. 



Five months and perhaps six have passed, and he again makes his way 

 homeward. He is welcomed by his faithful wife, who has cared for their 

 little ones through this long and tedious winter. 



One year gone, and not one pine stump less to contend with. But a 

 farmer must be diligent, faithful and full of grit in order to succeed on a 

 pine stump farm. 



Five and perhaps ten years of the same routine have been gone through 

 with. The pine stump farmer has not been idle, he has accumulated some 



