CHAPTER LXVII 
LOOKING FORWARD 
I AM not so opinionated as to think that mine 
is the only method of farming. On the contrary, 
I know that it is only one of several good methods ; 
but that it isa good one, I insist. For a well-to-do, 
middle-aged man who was obliged to give up his 
profession, it offered change, recreation, employ- 
ment, and profit. My ability to earn money by 
my profession ceased in 1895, and I must needs 
live at ease on my income, or adopt some con- 
genial and remunerative employment, if such could 
be found. The vision of a factory farm had flitted 
through my brain so often that I was glad of the 
opportunity to test my theories by putting them 
into practice. Fortunately I had money, and to 
spare; for I had but a vague idea of what money 
would be needed to carry my experiment to the 
point of self-support. I set aside $60,000 as 
ample, but I spent nearly twice that amount 
without blinking. It is quite likely that I could 
have secured as good and as prompt returns with 
two-thirds of this expenditure. I plead guilty 
to thirty-three per cent lack of economy; the ex- 
tenuating circumstances were, a wish to let the 
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