PUBLISHER'S DEPARTMENT. 



THE COST OF STARTING A HOME IN KERN DELTA. 



DURING the past few months much space has 

 been devoted in this department to the presen- 

 tation of various phases of life in the famous 

 Kern Delta colonies. These articles have dealt with 

 the system of irrigation, colossal in size and yet won- 

 derfully simple in design; with the orchard industry, 

 in relation to several kinds of deciduous fruits; with 

 the experimental farms, conducted by expert ability 

 for the benefit of new settlers ; and with many other 

 aspects of the budding industrial life of this wonder- 

 ful valley of California. 



WHAT IT COSTS THE SETTLER TO START. 



The approach of winter will remind thousands of 

 California, where winter is but an Indian summer. 

 These thousands will wonder what it costs to start a 

 home in Kern Valley, and what sort of a living can 

 be earned from its soil. Mr. S. W. Fergusson, mana- 

 ger of the Kern County Land Company, has studied 

 this question carefully, and is willing to have the 

 results of his study made public. He has had the 

 advantage, of course, of every possible facility in 

 arriving at conclusions, and his statement carries 

 with it the weight of a rich personal experience in 

 the industry with which his statement deals. There is 

 no satisfactory way to state his conclusions except by 

 giving the facts and figures just as he has worked 

 them out in tabular form, as it is a serious enterprise 

 for any man to move his home to a new country and 

 his expectations ought to be brought down to a mat- 

 ter of cold calculation, capable of being put to any 

 reasonable test. 



HERE ARE THE ACTUAL FIGURES. 



The average cost of land in Kern county is $80 per 

 acre, although very good land can be had for 25 per 

 cent, less than that. Mr. Fergusson's estimate has 

 been based on $80 land. In this case he takes a 40- 

 acre farm for example, though very good results can 

 be realized by the average family on twenty acres. 



One-fourth of the purchase money, balance in three, tour 



and five years at 7 per cent, interest $800.00 



Frame house of 4 rooms, constructed of lumber, 24x24, 



withverandas 350.00 



Furniture -according to requirements of farmer 100 00 



Barn and outbuildings 150 00 



Well, bored 50 to 100 ft., with pump complete 75.00 



Fencing forty acres 320 rods at $1.00 (post and 



three wires), with netting $320.00 



Deduct half cost of three sides, 240 rods at 50c. 



(borne by neighbors) 120.00 



$200.00 

 Cross fencing alfalfa, hog proof 100.00 



300.00 

 Implements and live stock: 



2 horses at $75 150.00 



Wagon $100, harness $30, plough $12, cultivator $7 .... 149 00 



Mowing machine $60, horse rake $22 82.00 



Sundry hand tools and implements 15.00 



4 cows at $40, 6 sows at $10 220.00 



6 dozen hens at $4 24.00 



Seed for 18 acres of alfalfa at $3 54.00 



Seed for 18 acres of grain (sown with alfalfa) 9.00 



Carried forward $2,47800 



Brought forward $2,478.00 



Seed for 12 acres mixed farming grain at 50c. per 

 acre (to be followed by corn, potatoes, beans, 



pumpkins, etc.) 6.00 



Nursery stock for young orchard, 8 acres at $10 80.00 



Seed for two acres of mixed vegetables, etc 10.00 



Hired labor, six months at $20 (exclusive of board)... 120.00 

 Provision for: 



6months' groceries, $20 120.00 



Feed of horses, cows, etc., at commencement 100.00 



Water rate one year at $1.50 per acre 60.00 



Tax estimate 30.00 



Fuel, 6 cords at $3 per cord 18.00 



$3,022.00 



N. B. The foregoing figures are dependent upon the settler 

 accomplishing the ordinary cultivation and work through his own 

 efforts, assisted only by one hired man. 



THE FIRST YEAR'S RETURNS. 



The returns of reasonable industry and manage- 

 ment on the basis of the foregoing Mr. Fergusson 

 estimates as follows for the first year: 



Live Stock: 



Sale of four calves at $6 $ 24.00 



60 young pigs at $4 240.00 



700 chickens at 25c 175.00 



300 doz. eggs at 20c 60.00 



Dairy produce from four cows for eight months 



in the year 128 . 00 



$627.00 



Sale or valuation of ten acres of alfalfa hay (1st season), 



30 tons at $5 150.00 



12 acres of grain hay, 1J^ to 2% tons per acre, estimated 



at 18 tons, at $7 123.00 



Followed by, say 



6 acres of corn, 13,000 Ibs. shelled out at %c 176.25 



6 acres of potatoes, 50 sacks per acre, or 30,000 Ibs., at 



65c. per hundred 195.00 



Pumpkins grown in 8 acres at trees' worth 80.00 



2 acres of market vegetables at 50c 100.00 



$1,454.25 



The average yield of alfalfa after the first season is 

 six to ten tons; price at the time of writing $7 at the 

 farm. Land suitable for market gardening rents for 

 $10 per acre per annum. 



PROPERTY VALUES AT THE END OF FIRST YEAR. 



At the finish of the first year, the careful farmer 

 should find himself with the sum of $1,500 in hand, to 

 which in order to ascertain the precise result of his 

 work should be added the valuation of live farm 

 stock, improvements, and part purchase money, 

 amounting at cost to: 



Payment, one-fourth price of land $800.00 



House $350, furniture $100, barn and outbuildings 



$150, well $75 to $150, fencing $300 975.00 to 1,550 



Implements and live stock 638.00 



Valuation, 8 acres orchard one year 200 . 00 



2,613.00 

 Add cash on hand 1,500.00 



Total assets 4,113.00 



Deduct original outlay 3,022.00 



Balance net profitin cash $1,091.00 



Or 35 per cent, of the sum originally invested, after providing 

 for maintenance of self and family. 



