The majority of the Japanese farmers, on the other hand, are single men, who because of their early migration to make money and then to return to Japan have had little or no opportunity to marry and to lead the family life normal to that race. Of 40 farmers reporting data only 10 were married, and of the 10 wives only 5 were in the United States. (General Table 388.) Taking the several districts as a whole, perhaps not more than 1 group of 10 includes a woman, and the number of children is very small, only 5 in the 36 groups from whose members data were obtained. In the vast majority of instances the Japanese groups are composed entirely of men, including the partners and employees, and the cooking and other household duties devolve upon and are performed by them.

It has been indicated that three-eighths of the Japanese farmers have decided to remain permanently in the United States, most of them expecting to purchase land. With no right to become naturalized citizens, they, of course, have no part in the political life of the communities in which they live. The German-Russians, on the other hand, have come as home seekers and have become a permanent part of the population of the communities in which they have settled as farmers. They have not taken much interest in American institutions and political life, however. Yet of 9 farmers reporting data, 2 were citizens, 4 had first papers only, while only 3 were aliens, and from inquiry it would appear that these proportions hold of the German-Russian farmers as a class.

The German-Russians are members of the German Lutheran Church. They attend regularly the churches at Fort Collins or Greeley. The service is conducted in the German language. The vast majority of the Japanese, on the other hand, are nominally members of the Buddhist Church. As yet they have made no regular provision for religious services in these agricultural communities, so that most do not attend any church. A few, however, possibly 1 in 10, of the Japanese farmers are members of some Christian church and attend services held in the near-by towns.

The Japanese are organized among themselves to some extent, but, so far as could be ascertained, are not members of any other organization. The Lupton Japanese Farmers' Association, with its 80 members, has been mentioned. The Japanese Association of Colorado, organized a few years ago to protect and further the interests of the Japanese, has a large membership among the farmers. More than one-fourth of the farmers investigated were members of the general organization or of one of its branches. Some Japanese farmers belong to "prefectural societies." However, with the exception of those around Lupton, the members of this race are less well organized than in most other States. The German-Russians, on the other hand, have no organizations of their own. A few are members of American fraternal orders, such as the Woodmen, but these are very exceptional. The percentage of illiteracy among the families of both races investigated was small. All the German-Russians who immigrated to the United States when under 14 years of age and nearly all of the older men and three-fourths of the older women could read and write. The 45 Japanese men and women had come to the United States when over 14 years of age and all but one (a man) were literate. (General Table 398.) This literacy in many cases does not extend to the use of

English, however. While 30 or 40 Japanese farmers could speak English, only 13 could read and only 11 could write the language. Of the 5 farmers' wives only 1 could speak and none could read and write English. The failure of so many of the Japanese men and women to speak English is explained by their comparatively short residence in the United States and the slight association most of them (and especially the women) have had with English-speaking people. Of 30 German-Russian men, 26 could speak, 21 could read, and 17 could write English. The women, however, present a strong contrast to the men, for of 18, only 8 could speak, 3 read, and 2 write our language. On the whole, the German-Russians are slow to learn English, but many of those investigated came to the United States when young and have resided here for several years at least, so that they have a more general command of English than have the Japanese. (General Tables 392 to 395.) If allowance be made for the difference in length of residence in the United States, there appears to be little difference between the members of the two races in so far as ability to speak English is concerned.

Closely connected with the use of English is the character of the newspapers subscribed for by these Japanese and German-Russians. These papers indicate their interest and standard of living as well. Of the 14 Russian families 4 subscribed for no newspapers, 6 for 1, 2 for 2, and 3 for 3, each. Of the 10, 7 subscribed for either 1 or 2 local newspapers printed in English, while 5 subscribed for 1 or 3 printed in German and published in the various localities in which these families had formerly lived. Or, to put it in a different way, 4 of these families subscribed for no newspaper, 5 had only local weekly newspapers printed in English, 3 had only German newspapers published elsewhere, while 2 had newspapers in both languages.

Of the 36 Japanese farmers and groups of partners, 6 subscribed for no newspaper, while 30 subscribed for from 1 to 11. Newspapers published in the United States or Japan in their native language only were subscribed for by 25, while to these 5 added from I to 3 local newspapers printed in English.

The standard of living is shown by the work of women and children, the housing, value of furniture, and cost of food and drink. As already stated, the Japanese women and children are very few in number. The German-Russian women, and children more than 6 years old (when not at school), work regularly in the fields. The statement that "all work all the time, live closely, and save as much as possible" exaggerates little.

The houses of the German-Russians are frequently inadequate from the point of view of the American farmer's standard. Some of the cottages are of a good type and contain several rooms. Most of these, however, were already upon the land when leased or purchased. The German-Russian farmers, when erecting their own houses, have usually built box houses of "rough" lumber, of 2 or 3 rooms, and devoid of ordinary conveniences. Because of the large families which prevail among these German-Russians these small houses are not adequate for decent living. Their standard is low, and as yet they have been too poor and hard pressed to meet their obligations to live otherwise than on the most economical scale. Their houses are usually furnished most meagerly and in a rather primitive way, as

is indicated by the fact that in 10 of the 14 cases the agent valued the furnishings at less than $100, and in 4 cases at less than $50. Much the same can be said concerning the houses occupied by the Japanese. Some of them are fairly good cottages provided with the land leased. Others are small "shacks," built for them. They are adequate, however, except when the group is enlarged by adding a number of laborers to assist with the farm work. But whatever the character of the house occupied, the furnishings are usually meager and inexpensive, and the life is that of a "camp." In exceptional cases only are the grounds well cared for or is evidence given of a good type of home life.

Data were collected for the cost of food and drink of the Japanese groups only. The cost per month of these items, as reported by 44 farmers, varied from $7.50 to $18 for each person. The largest group-16-spent from $10 to $12 per person, 9 spent less, while 19 spent more. The median was $11; the average $11.67 per month.

In their social life the German-Russians and Japanese farmers and their families are practically limited to associations with persons of their own race. For amusements the Japanese frequent pool halls and other places conducted in the small towns near which they live, while the German-Russians' social life centers in the church and home. It should be added, however, that the German-Russian children attend the public schools until about 15 years of age, and as they grow up are finding some place in the social life of the communities in which they live. The Japanese children, with very few exceptions, have not yet reached school age, and hence there has been no opportunity for a similar development among the members of that

race.

From what has been said, it is evident that the German-Russians, and especially the Japanese, even of the farming class, are not at all well assimilated. They stand as races apart from the other races of farmers all white and chiefly of native stock. They have seldom intermarried with other races. In Denver some 6 Japanese have American-i. e., white-wives, and 1 half-breed farmer-Japanesewhite has a white wife, but these are the only instances of marriage between persons of these races which are known. Nor have the German-Russians, even those who migrated to the United States when children, intermarried with other races in more than a comparatively few instances. Yet in spite of these facts there is little or no ill feeling exhibited in the rural communities toward the members of these races. In fact, both races are regarded with as much favor by the communities in which they live as is usually accorded to clannish foreigners who colonize in large numbers.

CHAPTER XVIII.

SOUTH ITALIAN TRUCK GARDENERS NEAR DENVER, COLORADO.

[For General Tables see pp. 966 to 975.]

INTRODUCTION.

Though a few gardeners of other races are found, most of the growers of truck for the Denver market are North and South Italians and German-Swiss. At an earlier time the German-Swiss were in the majority, but as they have accumulated money many of them have moved to other places to engage in dairy farming. With the growth of the Denver market and the tendency of the Swiss to leave truck gardening the Italians, who began to settle on truck farms near Denver twenty years or more ago, have become more numerous, until they now aggregate several hundred. Some of them are North Italians, others South Italians. They settle in colonies of their own people. Most of the South Italians are in a colony located just outside the city limits of Denver. Inasmuch as the Italians of this colony are typical of the larger number in the community, it was investigated by an agent of the Commission in the early spring of 1909.

Twenty-five years ago there were but a few South Italian families in the locality in which the colony is now found. Gradually, however, much of the land has been secured by the members of that race who realized that small farms in such close proximity to the city. would be most desirable for truck gardening. These farmers have not come here directly from their European homes. Of the members of the group studied, all but one, who came from Louisiana, first lived in Denver, or near by, before they undertook truck gardening.

Originally these South Italians came from the farming localities in the province of Basilicata, Italy. The greater number were young single men, although some brought their families with them. Some came hoping to gain wealth, as had their friends and relatives before them, others to escape compulsory military service.

Attracted by the abundant opportunities to secure work in the smelters and various mining industries, South Italians have been migrating to Denver for many years. A large number of those who have been in the United States for some time have gone into business for themselves. Among these are saloon and storekeepers, produce merchants, shoemakers, blacksmiths, and tailors, but by far the greater number are laborers in some capacity, and the farmers have all come from this latter class. They hoped to earn a better living and own their homes by securing small farms near the city.

Here they have become farmers on a very small scale. They have not sought to add to their incomes by the sale of dairy and animal products. Very few have planted fruit trees. They have raised

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crops of vegetables only, celery being the largest and most important of all. The produce is carried in most instances in one-horse wagons about 5 miles over fairly good graveled roads to the general market in Denver. A few, perhaps 10 or 15 per cent, sell to the wholesale commission merchants, while the majority peddle their vegetables through the streets of the city. Each grower has his route," which is usually respected by all others.

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An agent of the Commission secured schedules from 23 Italian truck gardeners and their families during the month of February, 1909. The details are presented in the following sections of this report.

THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE SOUTH ITALIAN TRUCK GARDENERS.

The 23 farms included in the investigation contained only 132 acres. Of this, 107 acres, constituting 18 farms, was owned; 25 acres, constituting 5 farms, was leased by the Italians occupying them. One of the tenant farmers paid $12.50, the others $30, $33.33, or $35 per acre as rent (General Table 400).

The majority of these farmers have very small holdings even for truck gardening. The largest farm contained only 20 acres, the second 14, and 2 others 10 each. Of the others, 2 contained 8 acres, another 6, 3 others 5, 5 others 4, and the other 8 either 2, 2.5, or 3 acres each (General Table 400). The average holding is but 5.74 acres, while the median farm has but 4 acres. As already stated, these farmers confine their efforts almost entirely to vegetable growing. Twenty-three report crops of vegetables sold during the past year, the entire receipts amounting to $7,909. One sold $15 worth of dairy products and 5 report animal products valued at $212.

They uniformly raise about the same vegetables-celery, onions, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, and lettuce. In 18 instances the vegetable crop was itemized. The largest receipts were from celery, the receipts of 18 farmers from their sales of this product alone aggregating $3,206.

The receipts from produce are comparatively small. The smallest sum was $107, from a 3-acre garden; the largest $710, realized from a 20-acre tract.

The receipts of 14 gardeners were between $250 and $500, those of 6 others varied from $107 to $230, while the remaining 3 were more than $500 each. (General Tables 400 and 405.) The average amount received per farm for crops sold was $343.87.

These receipts are small, but the people are able to produce their crops with little expense and at the same time to subsist largely upon the produce they raise. In addition to the 1 or 2 horses each keeps to cultivate his gardens and to haul the produce to market, 13 keep cows and poultry. These are used chiefly to supply the family with milk, butter, and eggs, for only 1 keeps more than 1 cow and only 6 have any income from the sale of poultry and dairy products. (General Tables 405 and 406.) In this way these Italian gardeners are able to live, though upon incomes which would not be adequate for native families.

Though the incomes from their gardening are so small, during the year previous to the investigations 20 realized profits (over and above