THE IMMIGRANT 91 



writer would emphasize the fact that we have room for farmers 

 from many lands, assuming that we act intelligently in our choice 

 and properly distribute those who come. 



The large Swiss settlement in Green County, Wisconsin, 

 illustrates success in the introduction of a new sub-industry of 

 great importance. Having struggled for years trying to farm 

 in the American way, these immigrants finally turned to the 

 great industry of their home country. They had settled in a 

 physical enviroment which was very much like what they had 

 left abroad. Now several hundred cheese factories are prosper- 

 ing and millions of pounds of cheese are annually placed upon 

 our markets. Most of it is the famous Swiss cheese. It should 

 also be noted that nearly all of those engaged in making this 

 cheese and in buying and selling it are Swiss or of Swiss origin. 

 The writer feels that this colony is a great success, is the kind 

 of thing this country wants, is the basis of prosperity in our 

 agriculture, and must not be condemned because of the fact that 

 broad Swiss is sometimes spoken or because the thousands of 

 members of the district are not assimilated during the first 

 generation. The writer has found individuals and small groups 

 of settlers from this colony and from "the old country" moving 

 far up into the Northwest carrying with them the information 

 and ambition to start other colonies as prosperous as the old one. 

 The acquisition of such an industry is as valuable to this country 

 as the introduction of a new plant that may have required the 

 expenditure of a hundred thousand dollars. 



Turning from this prosperous Swiss district, we may direct 

 our attention to a Bohemian center in northwestern Minnesota. 

 The Swiss had sent explorers ahead to find a desirable location 

 before coming to this country and settling down. The 

 Bohemians were in no greater financial straits in their home 

 country than the Swiss had been, but they were brought in and 

 located by great transportation companies. The soil where the 

 Bohemians were ' * dumped ' ' is very good ; but the country needs 

 an expensive drainage system. The poor immigrants are not 

 in a position to establish it. The result is that for some fifteen 

 years we have had before our eyes a Bohemian colony number- 

 ing hundreds of people, unable to establish a prosperous com- 

 munity because of unfavorable natural conditions. These people 



