194 



The Dawn of a New Constructive Era 



Farms Now 

 Cleared in 

 Few Years 



tire year. Just think wliat that means. If they can get a com- 

 munity that will purchase five of these stump pullers they can 

 get it down to $112 or $150 instead of $175. One of the land 

 companies there just issued this pamphlet, which came in my 

 last mail before leaving. In it they describe a clearing method 

 which they are employing for every five thousand acre unit that 

 they subdivide. They are setting aside a sum of $7,500 to be 

 used in the purchase of land-clearing equipment ; and all that, of 

 course, goes over to their purchasers. Another man has already 

 organized several crews — he has thirty competitive crews — he 

 has a very large area, and these men are working in a competi- 

 tive contest, and at the end of the season prizes will be given 

 them. This greatly stimulates the manufacture and the dis- 

 covery of a great many devices that would not otherwise be used. 



Now, don't get the impression that we preach any Utopian 

 scheme in Wisconsin, where we have some way of getting the 

 stumps out without work ; but we have been able to show how 

 the cost^of clearing land has been materially reduced, so that 

 now a man, instead of spending a lifetime, can clear up his farm 

 in a few years ; and we have practically removed the drudgery 

 from land-clearing work; and we have made the cut-over lands 

 popular in just the proportion which we have done these things. 



I might just take a moment to explain what our future pro- 

 gram is. We have been able to promote a great deal of interest 

 in the land-clearing movement, but we have to find out some 

 more before we can carry our demonstration further; and so 

 there is a bill in the Legislature for $37,000, which is asked to 

 be spent over a period of two years in conducting further demon- 

 stration trains. Our plan is to lay off areas on various soil types 

 of twenty acres ; develop those and keep track of the methods 

 that are used, and the time and hours of man labor and the hours 

 of horse labor andj the pounds of dynamite. If we can do all 

 that we will then know which is the best way to clear land in the 

 Lake states, and have a good idea for other people to follow. 



I don't know whether or not the conditions we have, or the 

 methods we have developed, will be of individual value to you ; 

 but I do believe that if you follow some of the things we have 

 done you can expect to get some of the results we have accom- 

 plished. We have been working for the little fellow because 

 there are some 50,000 of them alreadv there. 



