imported from South Africa and were dreadfully expensive. I told him that might be, but I saw this 

 one growing in the fields. He asked me to wait until the manager came in, which 1 did, and he was 

 equally skeptical about my story, but finally believed me when I told him about the work of the Ex- 

 perimental Stations. He wanted to know how many we had and if we could supply him with any more. 

 I told him we had a few and I thought you would grow more next year. He is going to v\Tite to you about 

 them and would not take any p.ay for mounting this one." 



"Ail right," said we, "a new industry for Long Island and another point scored for the Experimental 

 Stations and waste land." 



"Sugar pumjjkins" and "crazy squash" from Italy are both new and extremely good. Finochio, 

 the Italian salad plant, grows to perfection and matures a fine crop of seed. These seeds are used much 

 in the culinary delicacies of the Italians, while the leaf and stalk are used as flavoring for soups and salads. 



A new sugar corn, Burpee's "Catawba," seems to outclass Golden Bantam for tenderness and 

 sweetness. In field corn Pedrick's "Perfected" seems to lead all others in quality and evenness of yield. 



The orchard gave samples of fruit the third year, all samples were of the very highest quality both 

 as to flavor and color. The fourth year a l.ate frost caught many blossoms, but what fruit there was, 

 was marvelous for size and color. 1 have never seen such color on peaches and pears; Barlletts, as 

 large and handsome as anything Oregon or California can produce, \\ith a flavor that these places can- 

 not put into fruit no matter what the growers do. The quinces are excellent. Apricots and nectarines 

 both set fruit and nearly matured them, then for some unexplained reason they shriveled and fell. I 

 hope we can solve this mystery. The trees are all low headed and are kept well .sprayed. There is not 

 not a sign of San Jose scale, the principal fight is with borer. An emulsion of Carbolineum, soap, and 

 water recommended by Dr. Thorne of the Ohio Experiment Station, was used this year with great suc- 

 cess. It was sprayed on the tree trunks only and the bark is now in excellent shape and the borers much 

 less numerous. 



The "Home Hamper" came to stay; the demand grow-s each year and now both farms are kept 

 busy packing and shipping to fill the orders. There has been no advertising of them outside of a notice 

 in one issue of the "Agronomist." Each hamper is its own best advertisement; each new customer is 

 pretty sure to bring 2 more. 



Last winter we had an interesting incident. A New York M. D. had been receiving a weekly 

 hamper (and from the orders which came through her recommendation we began to think she was 

 prescribing vegetables from "Farm to Family Fresh" instead of medicine). About January 1st we told 

 her that shipments would have to cease as the crops were now reduced to a few winter roots. She 

 replied in a piteous letter begging us to continue, "even if you have nothing to send but potatoes and 

 cabbage. I cannot buy such delicious vegetables in the city." She has now had a weekly hamper for 

 a year and a half if not longer, without interruption. 



Her winter hampers have contained liberal portions of Witloof Chicory or "Barbe de Capucin," 

 lettuce, radishes, and young onions. Her continued demand inspired us to renewed efforts with cold 

 frames, and the Double Sunlight Glass Sash made it possible for us to supply her, without any cost for 

 heating apparatus. These sash are one of the greatest inventions of the age. They are built in the 

 usual manner with the exception of 2 thicknesses of glass which are separated, forming a dead air space 

 which holds the temperature even, and holds in the hot bed or cold frame the heat stored up on every 

 bright day. 



The surplus produce is still sent to commission merchants, but always to hotels, restaurants, and 

 clubs first. We pack only fancy goods in a fancy style and it is still bringing the same good prices. 



The horses, Texas and Buckeye are as sound as a dollar. In winter they are fed on alfalfa and 

 in the spring they come out fat, sleek, and glossy and the farm has been offered $350.00 for Texas, the 

 sorefooted roman nosed buck-skin. 



The farm help has been about the same. In the winter Mike and his two boys take care of things. 

 As hot beds increase, so we can ship hampers all winter, Mike w^ill have to have one man to help him. 

 In the spring two Italians come to work all summer, and August 1st two more go on to help keep weeds 

 from seeding, and sowing the farm to ruination; and harvest the crops. September is given over to 

 fairs and all hands work night and day with that extra work diu-ing the harvesting time. 



The third summer a young Rutger's college student worked on the farm in order to gain practical 

 experience. As fall drew near the Senior Partner said: 



"Well, Jim, have you gotten what you desired here? I am sorry I could not be with you more, but 

 this confounded office work keeps me tied up." 



"Indeed I have, Mr. Fullerton," was the reply; "this summer has meant more to me than a whole 

 term in college." 



This year a high school student gained practical experience before he and.his sister and mother went 

 to farming for their livelihood. 



It is one of our dreams to be able to take all the young men who ask to come to us (and their number 

 is great indeed) and give them practical experience in the fields. Many a lad makes or breaks in his 

 first year in the open; and wise counsel, good common sense, and such comradeship as the Senior Partner 

 can give are worth much. Perhaps our dream will be realized at Experimental Station \o. 2. 



Let us go over to Medford now, leaving "Peace and Plenty" true to name, more beautiful than ever 

 before, with the grove about the house plot growing so thick some trees will have to be thinned out, the 

 vines and bushes at home and luxuriant; with a sense of settled peace and comfort pervading the place. 



In part IV, I spoke of Experimental Station No. 2. This was established because the wiseacres said: 



"Oh, it is all right Fullerton, you can do this kind of work and make things grow in this good soil 

 of the North Shore, but you cannot do it in the sands of the center section. That is burned over pine 

 and there isn't 2 inches of soil." 



Therefore the worst 10 acres on the main line were picked out and they lie at Medford, 52 miles 

 east of New "N'ork City. In order to obtain 10 acres it was necessary to buy 80, but only 10 were cleared 

 and developed as a market garden. 



84 



