959 
RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Alfalfa/on High-priced City Land 
An Experiment in Missouri 
I T may interest many of your reaclei-s to know 
what scientific farming in a big city can accom¬ 
plish. At the intersection of the Skinker Road and 
Forsyth Avenue in St. Louis, just west of Forest 
I’ark and directly south of the Washington Univer¬ 
sity, in the center of the wealth and fashion of the 
West End, there are 20 acres of vacant ground in 
one body, owned by several of our wealthy citizens. 
The streets surrounding it are as highly imiu-oved 
as any in the city, a wide space on the margin of 
the Woulevards, have completed gran¬ 
itoid walks enclosed within two par¬ 
allel lines of young thrifty growing 
shade trees. 
The idea of converting the ground 
to productive use originated with 
.7no. R. Williams, an extensive ap¬ 
ple grower upon his two farms in 
Pike County, 111. He prepared and 
cultivated the city farm to the high¬ 
est .scientific degree and then plant¬ 
ed it with Alfalfa seed. As the .sea¬ 
son came forward for its growth 
the beauty of the land.scape ex¬ 
ceeded that of our parks, creating 
the surpri.se and admiration of our 
citizens, many of Avhom ascribed it 
to the experimental efforts of Sec¬ 
retary of Agriculture Houston, for¬ 
mer Chancellor of Wa.shington Uni¬ 
versity, and the work being paid for by the Ik S. 
Covernment. It was a high compliment to Mr. 
William.s. Our city press became interested in Ibo 
matter in .showing what farming can accomplish in 
a big city. The first crop of Alfalfa has already 
been harvested and the yield was heavy and of 
superior quality. w. i. s^^ITIr. 
R. N.-Y.—tA picture of this field is shown at Fig. 
41S. At the time of fitting the land Mr. Williams 
Avrote \is, and Ave advised free use of lime and acid 
phosidiate. AVe felt this form of 
phosphorus Avould be more effective 
than the ground raw phosphate 
rock. It has proved successful. 
There are 20 acres in the field, and 
the plot is held at !p.‘i50,000 or $17,- 
500 per acre—thus making it the 
i-ecord price for land u.sed in grow¬ 
ing Alfalfa. This land Avas part of 
the AYorld’s Fair ground. The main 
building of AVa.shington University 
(as shown) formed the administra¬ 
tion building of the fair. 
matter how much stock he owns, is treated the 
same, and the small buyer who .only uses a little 
gets the same prices as the man who uses a lot. 
The small buyer is usually the one who needs help 
most, and he gets carload prices, though he may 
buy only a bag or two at a time. 
PROVIDING FOR EXPENSE.^.—We have no 
dues. The way Ave pay our expenses is this: On 
grain Avhich we buy by the carload Ave levy what 
AA’e call an unloading charge. On straight carloads 
of grain this is 50 cents a ton, and is added to the 
bare cost of the goods. On nuxe<l cars, Avhioh are 
harder to handle, the charge is 75 cents a ton. In 
Baling Iowa Alfalfa from the Windrow. First Crop. Fig. 416 
other Avords, the goods are sold to the member for 
cost plus the unloading charge, regardless of Avhat 
local prices may be. Wo have often sold goods for 
50 cents per 100 pounds under the market Avhen 
they Avere delivered. On materials like flour and 
spraying goods a small charge is in.-ide. The un- 
loadin.g charge pays agent's commission, 10 cents 
])('!• ton; labor costs, Interest on shares and admin¬ 
istrative exi>enses. Grain is unloaded from the car 
and is sold for cash. The agent may allow a little 
A Massachusetts Fruit 
Growers’ Association 
A n incorporated body.— 
The Colrain Fruit GroAvers’ Co- 
operatiA'e Association was organ¬ 
ized several years ago by some of the fai-mers of 
Colrain, M'ass., and A-icinity, Avho felt that many 
farm supplies could be bought to adA-antage if pur- 
clunsed in quantity. The first method of financing 
the organization Avas by levying an anniuit assess¬ 
ment of tAvo dollars a member. A simill charge, 
called an unloading charge, Avas made for goods 
bought. While the association did good Avork the 
general feeling Avas that its possibilities Avere not 
fully realized. At 
the beginning of the 
pro.sent year tho as¬ 
sociation Avas incor¬ 
porated under a spe¬ 
cial Massachusetts 
hiAV. The Avork of 
incorporating av a s 
attended to by rep¬ 
resentatives of the 
Farm Bureau and 
the State College at 
Amherst. Our capi¬ 
tal is $5,000, divided 
into shares at $5, 
Avhich pay 5% inter¬ 
est. The possession 
of one or more of 
these shares entitles 
the OAvner to buy 
through the tissocia- 
tion. As a matter of 
fact Ave have only 
sold about $1,000 
AA'orth of stock and 
haA'e to borroAV some 
money. Everyone, no 
Sixteen Tons on Seven Acres. First Crop. Fig. 417 
time at his discretion, but is responsible for all 
bills. 
THE USEFUL TELEl'HONE.—As our members 
are .scattered over a large territory it Avas neces.sary 
to evolA-e a method of getting in touch Avith them 
(pilckly. We do it in this Avay: The agent has a 
man on each telei)hone line Avhom he calls, and to 
Avhom he quotes prices and gives information, 
fi'bese men cull all the members on their oavu lines. 
and thereby saA'e time and work for the agent and 
unneces.sary work for the “central.” We can get 
in touch Avith practically all our members in three 
hours and have their orders, if necessary. 
AN INCRE.\SING BUSINESS.—Our business 
this year so far exceeds by considerable any year’s 
total hitherto. We have handled goods to the A-alne 
of over .$21,000 Avorth of goods the first six months 
of the year, and have seA'en carloads of goods on 
the Avay or just unloaded in addition to this amount. 
This sum represents the amount Ave Inn’e received, 
and not the value of the goods according to local 
markets. We figure our .saving at betAveen three 
and four thousand dollars so far, 
and that is a conservative estimate. 
DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED.— 
Noav the question of ilirect buy¬ 
ing is an interesting one. but there 
are dilliculties Avhich seem insur- 
mount.aiile under pre.sent circum¬ 
stances at least. We do most of 
our buying through one firm, and 
h.ave received the best of treatment. 
Goods ordinarily come Avith bill of 
lading attached. That means that 
Ave do not haA'e to pay for goods 
until they are actually delivered. 
More than that, if aa'o are tempor¬ 
arily tied up Avith more than one 
car, or are financially short for any 
reason, this firm ahvays stand.s 
ready to give us fn-e or 10 days. 
If Ave bought direct Ave would prob- 
ably ha\'e to pay in advance, and all our capital 
Avould be tied up uutli that car got in and Avas un¬ 
loaded. Again, Ave often buy a “car on track.” Avhich 
is sold below the m.arket, as this firm believed it 
is better policy to let their enstomers have a bar¬ 
gain than to pay the raiirnad ,$5 a day demurr.age. 
This protects us to a large extent against market 
fluctuations. Freight from the West is so uncertain 
at irresent that a long delay in the arrival of a car 
might mean a serious loss to us. As it is uoaa' Ave 
can buy a car on track or in tr.ansit 
and be reasonably sure of getting it 
-: in less than a Aveek. Another con¬ 
sideration is this. When Ave buy 
whole grains through our dealer, 
the car comes Avith the certificate 
of the ollicial Aveighmaster in Chi¬ 
cago and Ave have never had a short¬ 
age. Moreover, Avith oats and 
wheat at least there is a grathu-’s 
certificate, .so Ave can knoAA' ab.so- 
lutely that Ave are receiving Avhat 
Ave t>rdered. Of conr.se responsible 
farmers' organizations may be es- 
tablisbed Avbich Avill be able to do 
the same thing, but do they do it 
nowV We avouUI gladly buy direct 
if Ave could get tho .same financial 
;iccominndations and the same guar¬ 
antees of Aveights and qualities. If 
there are Western associations selling direct AA'e 
Avouhl like to get in touch Avith them. Our associa- 
Twenty Acres of Alfalfa in the Heart of a Great City. Fig. 418 
ti'iii is dning good AA'ork. and AA'e expect to do better. 
What Ave ought to have is an association Avhicli 
would take in all the toAvns, using our common 
shiiipiiig point. We could then handle enough 
goods so Ave could hire a manager to dcA-ote his 
entire time to the work. 
POSSIBILITIES IN APPLE SELLING.—As yet 
AA'e have tried no 
selling. This is a 
great apple .section, 
and the members of 
the association prob¬ 
ably produce close to 
50,000 barrels. With 
the adjoining toAvns 
there Avould be a to¬ 
tal of about 75,000. 
It does s e e m as 
though there Avas a 
great chance to get 
together here. The 
matter has Ix'en 
talked np. but as yet 
no action has been 
taken. .Vs things are 
uoAv the farmers are 
at the mercy of the 
buyei's. It .seems as 
though Avith this 
amount of fruit they 
ought to be in a posi¬ 
tion to have a voice 
in the price-making. 
H. M. EASTMA^^ 
