24 Tlif Farmstead 



sold at retail, by the dozen, for $450.80. The 

 net returns for flowers sold during the fiscal 

 year ending September 30, 1897, amounted to 

 $1,169.88. The expenses, including taxes, insur- 

 ance and 10 per cent on the capital, were 

 $790.67. This includes the cost of raising 

 12,000 plants, about 6,000 of which netted 

 $263.24. In round numbers, then, the net in- 

 come from the one leading industry — flowers — 

 after paying 10 per cent on invested capital, 

 coal, commission and workmen's bills, was 

 $642.45, with an additional prospective income 

 from the 6,000 plants which remained unsold. 



When I last visited this gentleman, he in- 

 formed me that he had all the land he wanted. 

 Since that time he has purchased eight acres 

 adjoining, has made some improvements upon 

 the land, and now values it at $2,000. He 

 stated incidentally that the reason he made his 

 purchase was that the land was in the market, 

 and he wanted control of it that he might 

 choose his neighbor. The land, he says, is now 

 in the market, although it paid 9 per cent, clear 

 of all expenses, on a valuation of $2,000. The 

 question is often discussed as to how much land 

 is necessary to secure a competence. Here we 

 find that six acres suffices. A large family has 

 been fed chiefly from the products of the or- 

 chards, vineyard and garden, and the children 



