THE IMMIGRANT 79 



settlers to settle in groups, but each one independent of all the 

 others. Germans and Scandinavians often did this following 

 the instructions either of friends already settled in that locality 

 or of an agent sent in advance to ascertain conditions there. 



These settlers came from the agricultural sections of Europe. 

 Consequently their success depended on their ability to adapt 

 themselves to American methods. That such success has been 

 attained will be questioned by no one who has compared the rude 

 conditions of the pioneer with those of to-day. Since the great 

 majority settled in the North Central States, they engaged in 

 general farming. In this type of farming the Scandinavians 

 and Germans are leaders. The Danes are noted for their suc- 

 cess in butter-making and dairying. The Scandinavians are 

 more likely to waste the fertility of the land than the Germans, 

 who maintain it through the rotation of crops and the applica- 

 tion of fertilizers. Wisconsin is the example of German success 

 just as Utah is of English. The fortunate choice of land con- 

 tributed to German success while the Welsh succeeded in spite 

 of an unfortunate choice. The success of the immigrant is by no 

 means confined to general farming. The Germans raise grapes 

 in California and carry on truck-raising and dairying in Georgia. 

 Together with the Irish they raise rice and other southern prod- 

 ucts in Louisiana, Florida, and Alabama. The Scandinavians 

 raise grapes in Alabama and truck and fruits in New Jersey. 

 The German-Russians are especially successful in the beet sugar 

 sections of Nebraska and the Swiss in the cheese industry in 

 Wisconsin. Those whom we ought to praise the most are the 

 Dutch who undertake the reclamation of our lowlands. The 

 best proof of the superiority of the foreign to the native farmer 

 is that the latter is yielding. The Germans and Irish are se- 

 curing control of the farm lands of New Jersey, the Scandinav- 

 ians are replacing the natives in Vermont, the Germans are re- 

 placing them in New York, and the Poles in Massachusetts. 



The desirability of the immigrant does not, however, depend 

 principally on his ability to accumulate wealth. If such ac- 

 cumulation is accompanied by a lowering of the American 

 standard of living, he is undesirable. Among our foreign set- 

 tlers we find the food simple, the clothes cheap and coarse. 

 These features seem inevitable in a frontier community. If, 



