638 
‘Jhe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
a stigma generally connected with the expression 
“He is an unfortunate fellow": it seems to carry 
with it an apology and gives the impression that 
foresight and good management have been lacking. 
No such inference, however, can justly be drawn 
from Exhibit No. 4. This was the case of a large 
farm, large family, small capital, 35-cent dollar and 
hard luck, a hard combination to buck against. Yet 
1 never saw a more plucky or cheerful man than 
neighbor H-. He was a worker. Early and late. 
lie was always at it. for it was a case of “root, hog, 
or die." He would go into the woods Winters—his 
wife and children doing the chores at home—and in 
the Spring tackle the farm again. At every oppor¬ 
tunity he would do trucking to replenish the flour 
barrel, yet however wet and cold he might be on 
the road he never pushed bis team. Big crops of 
potatoes, only to have them rot or be buried in a 
sea of mud at digging time, sometimes not getting 
enough to pay the fertilizer bill, the loss of a 14- 
pound a week cow. the best horse out of a pair only 
partly paid for. a hailstorm destroying one season’s 
crop, a broken rib just at haying time, were some of 
ihe things lie ran up against, yet he came up smiling 
every time. The quickest job of haying that I ever 
saw done was on his farm the Summer he broke his 
rib. A bunch of neighbors rattled into his yard one 
morning with mowing machines, tedders, horse-rakes 
and racks. The grass was nearly ripe and not very 
heavy; at night it was all in the barn. I have often 
thought that I would like to see some of our agri¬ 
cultural experts qualify under his load, even with 
the hard luck cut out 
ABSENT OWNERS I SIP.—Another nearby oper¬ 
ator of a large farm, who for several years was 
president of our agricultural society, has “pulled his 
curtains” to accept the union superintendency of 
schools for a group of adjoining towns, and his land 
is lying idle in consequence, lie hired it carried on 
one year, but it did not pay expenses. 
FIRE LOSSES.—The cause for two other cases of 
abandonment, including my own, was lire. In real 
estate matters the buildings generally go with the 
land, but in the case of lire on a farm 10 miles or so 
from railroad the land goes with the buildings, for 
when your buildings have gone, your farm has also. 
My fellow sufferer bought an adjoining farm with 
good buildings for less than half it would have cost 
to replace his. As this was our second experience 
within three years on the same place, I concluded 
that I'd had enough—at least for the present. 
INHERITEL) CAPITAL.—Many of the up-to-date 
farms throughout New England owe their alleged 
prosperity to the backaches and accumulated savings 
of past generations, or the wherewithal has come 
from some source other than the farm. These in¬ 
stances are common and give a false idea of farm 
profits to those who do not know the circumstances. 
A case of this kind came to my notice recently. This 
man a number of years ago^ought several adjoining 
farms, and adopting the most approved methods 
brought them to a high state of cultivation. He 
made a specialty of apples and purebred swine, 
laising 1,200 bushels of corn the past year as one 
item. lie certainly raised some beautiful apples; 
they were packed in cartons and sold to a select 
trade* at fancy prices. Pigs were sold at large 
figures for breeding purposes. To the outsider it 
would appear that here was a model farm conducted 
by a business man on business principles, but I 
learned on good authority that while the sales the 
l ast year were $s.000 the expenses amounted to 
$15,000. Such is the story of the abandoned farms 
of my neighborhood. The causes of the conditions 
are apparent and are much the same in any locality. 
READJUSTING CONDITIONS.—It is a big prob¬ 
lem to readjust economic conditions so that these 
lands may be profitably worked, but I believe no one 
thing will produce such an effect in that direction 
and at the same -time reduce the cost of living as 
v ill good roads. Uncle Sam has the trucks and the 
me i for the job. There is plenty of work in each 
state for its own men, and every citizen will benefit. 
No concentration camp would be necessary and home 
conditions would prevail. The men would become 
familiar with the conditions of farm life, and for all 
who decided that that was the life for them there 
would be plenty of land available on good roads close 
to civilization. City and country would be brought 
together, and better understanding and co-operation 
would result. For like Kipling’s “Colonel’s lady 
and Judy O’Grady” we are all “sisters under our 
skins.” Industries would be established utilizing 
water powers now going to waste for lack of trans¬ 
portation. This would relieve the congestion of the 
cities and promote the owning and cultivating of 
small areas, which would tide over a business de¬ 
pression. But. best of all. it would bring the people 
in contact with the soil, which under right conditions 
is the best antidote for the great unrest which is 
row seizing upon humanity. With all these possi¬ 
bilities close at hand, why should we drain the 
Everglades or irrigate the desert? c. m. moore. 
Maine. 
Agricultural Possibilities of New Jersey 
The Garden Spot of the East 
Part I. 
A FAVORED LOCALITY.—You have often writ¬ 
ten of the “old hill farms” and lmw the new 
agriculture, when mixed with energy and brains, is 
slowly hut surely renewing them as a source of food, 
health and comfort for land-lningry humans. May 
this good work of yours go speedily on until all llu* 
New England and New York State hill farms smile 
a< of yore with fruit trees, forage crops, dairy cattle 
and contented people. But your readers are not 
limited to “old hill farms” in order to find oppor¬ 
tunities, and often real bargains, in farm land close 
by the best market on this continent—New York 
City and its nearby towns and suburbs. The favored 
country of which I wish to write may he known by 
name to your* distant readers, but they do not know 
The Stale of New Jersey with Variations. Fiy. Uio 
of its variety of soil, its climate and products, which 
make it the most unique agricultural section in the 
United States of America. They will be surprised 
to learn that one of the oldest farming counties in 
America, where every branch of mid-temperate zone 
agriculture is practised, offers unusual living attrac¬ 
tions and financial inducements to those who, for 
good reasons, wish to move where they may lead the 
rural life and yet be within commuting distance of 
New York and Newark, Trenton and Philadelphia. 
Why this is true may be put in a few words: Not 
enough scientific agriculture, too much absentee 
ownership, indifferent tenantry, and rum. 
POSSIBILITIES IN CHANGE.—The interest 
shown by your readers in the peculiar advantages 
of certain agricultural sections is evidence of a 
healthy state of mind. However much truth there 
may be in the old saying, “A rolling stone gathers 
i:o moss,” the fact remains that many families should 
change their abodes. When prompted by hopes of 
getting rich quick, the wanderlust is a disease of 
laziness and ignorance. But a sincere desire to find 
a better location or to change one’s occupation may 
he prompted by a commendable consciousness of 
being at present on the wrong track. There are 
good reasons why there always will be, at all times, 
a great many people considering making a change. 
How often death upsets a family’s plans, which 
makes a move to a new location advisable. The 
going aftvay to the great city of a son or daughter 
ro study or work may justify the parents moving tv 
April 1 '2. 1 !>1 '* 
a farm within commuting distance. The man ->> 
town with a large family of youngsters may discover 
before it is too late that a farm is the safest and 
l est place to live. Then there is that army of round 
pegs in square boles, men engaged somewhere in 
some branch of agriculture who know that they 
night to be specializing in the work they like best 
and in a more favored section. When you help those 
who need help to properly relocate you are doing .a 
distinct journalistic service. 
STUDY OF CONDITIONS.—But I believe you will 
agree that no plans require more self-analysis 
and closer study of conditions than those for 
pulling up Ihe farm stakes and moving, hag 
and baggage, to a different agricultural section. 
And no farmer should ever attempt it until he has 
become, or has the knowledge, capital and determi¬ 
nation to become, a specialist in some one. tiro or 
three branches of ayricuUvre. Once a man lenows 
what lie wants to do, and how to do it. ho is compe¬ 
tent to judge what must be at band to gain success. 
The man who is “just a farmer,” and not a specialist 
by choice and experience, should make haste slowly. 
But nowadays no farmer has really arrived until 
lie has become a specialist in tliaf branch of agri¬ 
culture for which lie is - equipped by bis training and 
environment. Whom a farmer lias become a sure- 
enough specialist it means* that bis work lias ceased 
to be drudgery and has become play. And a spe¬ 
cialist will work harder and longer at bis “play" 
'ban “just a farmer,” but the rewavds-j-mental. sen¬ 
timental and financial—are also greater. However, 
never forget that moving to an old Eastern farm, 
which can* be had at a bargain, means that*you must 
rebuild the soil and bring* it back to a high state. 
That requires, first, capital and knowledge: then 
lime and work, cover crops and work, commercial 
fertilizers and yet more work, nf course, the good 
farmer—the specialist—will know now to get an 
income from the land while he is restoring 'ts health 
and reserve power. 
THE FAMILY ON THE FARM.—As a rule, I 
would suggest that only family men pa.st 35 should 
think of moving to on old Eastern farm. Such men 
probably want, ready-made, for themselves, wives 
and growing families, all those tilings which time 
alone can give to prosperous communities. Young 
men who have been raised as farmers, and who are 
free to move uinl grow up in new places, would, I 
believe, be better off to make for new lands. I have 
in mind, for example, the rich and cheap' general 
farming and potato soils of Northern Wisconsin. 
There stumpage can he had at a small price and on 
easy terras. The young man can wait and work 
while the country is being settled. To be a pioneer 
and help clear and build and make a country smile 
with civilization develops character and inde¬ 
pendence well worth having. But whether you are 
young and dream of the cheap Western lands, or 
whether you are past 35 and prefer to live in the 
East near the great cities, do not make up your mind 
until you have traveled to the place you have in 
mind. See it, if possible, during each season of tin* 
year. Drive over and roundabout the country, meet 
and talk with those who have long lived there, am^ 
he sure that you will have no regrets. 
NEW JERSEY’S OUTLINE.—Now 4 must ask 
you to turn to a map of New Jersey. The topography 
of this State, and of the county which I will briefly 
describe next week, was as familiar to General 
George Washington as the topography of your home 
county is to you. Note that the outline of New 
Jersey may be compared to that, of a short, stout 
woman facing West. On her shoulders rests New 
York State, while her feet are washed by the Dela¬ 
ware bay. She leans her back rtgainst New York 
City, and braces her knees against Philadelphia. 
Daily she is bathed by the spray and salt air blowing 
in from the broad Atlantic. Note that the lady has 
a small waist extending from Trenton on the Dela¬ 
ware River to New York harbor, opposite Staten 
Island. Around her waist and draped over one hip 
are the counties of Mercer, Middlesex and Monmouth 
—famed in Revolutionary War history, but where 
farmers now raise potatoes in Washington’s battle¬ 
fields. 
NATURAL ADVANTAGES—A line drawn from 
Trenton to Sandy Hook (see your map) passes 
through a narrow belt of remarkable country which, 
on the geological map, is named the cretaceous for¬ 
mation. Tt Is remarkable for its endowments from 
Mother Nature. Its variety of surface and soils, its 
many brooks of the purest water, its navigable bays 
and rivers, its marls, its sassafras loams, Its inexhaust¬ 
ible banks of gravels and.building sands, its hardwood 
forests and .heir strange fascination to bird life, its 
climate and its location, make the cretaceous forma- 
