that of working a small farm to its
utmost capacity rather than half cultivation of a large one, which
is difficult to handle from lack of time and labor and an unwise
proposition for the East under the most favorable circumstances.

Ten acres of scraggy-looking woodland was purchased, sixty-eight
miles from New York City on the north shore of Long Island. The plot
had a few second and third growth oak and chestnut trees and
"sprouts" along the borders. All else had been burned, and the
center of the acreage exhibited the mangled and blackened remains of
a once thrifty woodland.

We proceeded to choose as our helpers native Long Islanders whom we
were desirous of allowing to work. We succeeded by strenuous efforts
in getting together a "gang" of both colored and white men to the
stupendous number of eight. They fell to work with a right good
will, at first cutting down here and trimming up there as directed.
However, after giving them a fair trial, we decided that they must
be replaced by Italians. The question of housing the eighteen
Italians soon came up. Tents might be adopted or even the unsanitary
"dugout" be allowed to mar the landscape. A shanty was entirely too
ugly to suit our tastes, and also expensive, and useless when the
men were through with it. Tents were too airy, as we knew the work
would continue until freezing weather, and perhaps well into the
winter. We "passed" on the "dugout." The ideal was something that
would be of use after the work of clearing was completed, and for
that purpose we decided upon "condemned freight cars." They cost but
ten dollars each, the railroad being glad to get rid of them. We
bought two, ultimately using one for a chicken house and the other
as a barn. In the meantime it was decided to remove the stumps by
dynamite, as trying to yank them out by stump pullers or by mattock
and plow was both slow and brutal. The ordinary custom of allowing
nature to work six years at the stumps and gradually eliminate them
by decay was not to be thought of.

Dynamiter Kissam, a Long Island expert, arrived and set to work,
using fuses for small stumps up to two feet in diameter.

With the advent of the Italians work began in earnest; they cleared
out every useless tree, cutting cord wood where any could be
obtained and burning the branches and charred trees as they went.
They also cleared out all underbrush thoroughly.

The dynamiter with his helper followed them up. This is the most