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THE | HONGKONG

TELEGRAPH TUESDAY,

APRIL

1998.

IF YOU WANT a

AGAIN and again I have

asked whether I would sink my last £500 in.a

small farm. It is an idea - lurking unsuspected in the minds of countless men forced to work in cities.

Again and again I have given the some answer: "Yes, I would, but.." Now let me tell you about the "buts." It is when all else, foils that some people regard ́a smoll farm as the lost resort. They rent a property, buy a few hundred lead of poultry, a small car, a horse and a cow, and expect to afier. I have live happily ever

Dut known some of them to do so.

I have known for more who have returned to town.

Now why is this? It is because so many regard their venture as a last hope. They go into farming expect- ing every hen to lay an egg a day no matter how they house it; every cow to provide gallons of milk.

£500 Outlay

"GO in for farming," I tell

these people, "study it. and you will And it the most satis- to fying form of existence known anyone who is healthy and strong and does not expect to make a for- luse or enjoy expensive pleasures. But be sure you learn something about it before you start."

Now supposing that the wind is set fal and that you are fortunate in Anding a litle 40-neres farm which has been vacant for some time. You have no Ingoing to pay, no valuation to pay, just your rent. Then you set about slocking it.

Suppose that you intend to mix your farming co that your returns are fairly quick. Here is how you might ing out your £500:

SMALL FARM

By

Patrick Murphy

-this is his farm

It meant a nursing home. very strong in those days, or we falling . would have found out in time that We had to leave the farm to itself

a for two months. it cost then about 7. 6d. to rent chick to maturity.

When we got back we had lost the We ran short of seven-and-six best part of our poultry, the COW pences after a while, and had to sell with prospects, and a whole flock off half the pullets, actually losing of young turkeys. nothing by doing so.

But the form is still surviving, and

So we went through the winter with about 150 pullets, and as eggs we're still happy in our country life.

had

My bad luck is not going to fall to were desperately deur we prosperous winter. The following everybody, and farming in all its spring was to be the change-over branches is a grand experience.

A two-wheeled cart, second-

hand.

A horse would cost you, say

30

7

Harness and gear

5

200 head of poultry (for

bread and butter); sturdy

second-season hens

50

from playing at farming to the real

good cow for fatting

veal

30

thing.

2 strong brood sowa

18

30

-Poultry houses, second-hand,

spades, forks, and

palls, onts

Incubator

Seed

Rent and rafes

Working capital for wages,"

foods, and a dozen other things

Sa-2

250

£497

So you are left with £3 out of your £500. With that £3 you can buy your first calf and start turning it into veal.

First Income

Now

You must bear in mind, though, that you need to find out beforehand

As early as January Wo began all you can 'about it. hatching. The chicks were still balls of duft when they began die

in dozens. We did not know then that you cannot rear chickens indoors without something to replace the sun- shine of which they are deprived.

Ingenious Idea

Little Rest

REMEMBER

that

you're taking on a whole-time job. You can never leave your form for more than an hour or so. You must be always on the alert for the appearance of disease and pests VERY few people knew those among your stock. You must be things at that time. So prepared to sit up all night when we learnt to replace the sun as the your sows are farrowing. You must Eskimos do with cod liver oll, and, study murkets, animal diet, and your after days of doubt and despair, land,

09

reared our big flock a little further. Your equipment at the start will Then, suddenly, one day my wife be so slight that you must be pre- came to me with a face as long us a pared to borrow all manner of things miller's bill. She told me that the from your neighbours, such NOW your income for the chicks had gape a tiny worm which ploughs, harrows, and rollers. And

first spell must come from

you must be prepared to lend. You gets in their throats.

In with of your hens, your litters

We saved nearly all of them. But must, therefore, fit young

it is they had had two set-backs and it neighbours, and your personality pigs, your veni. We assume spring and you can turn everything cost nearly 10s. a bird to rear them will be one of your greatest assets,

to maturity.

Bear all these things in mind and out to grass, so you will have time to cut some hay.

You you stand a good chance of success.

We assume also that you are just in time to put in your own vegetables and a few neres of oats to provide a certain amount of your own feed for the coming winter, and a few roots. Now as hard experience is worth a whole heap of theory in such matters, let me give you a brief ne- count of my venture on the land,

I had been acquainted more or less all my life with farmers and farming.

I knew all about horses, cows, pigs. and I knew the virtues of the Light Sussex and the shortcomings of heavy-laying Leghorns.

I

knew how to rear the most tem- peramental of turkeys on the heaviest of solls, and I could make hay with anyone. (Incidentally, haymaking is always regarded as the joyous mo- ment of the farming year it is the hardest work of the whole summer.) My wife's knowledge was about twice my own.

Well, having rented a farm we had little with which to buy stock. We managed to secure n dozen big, strong. Rhode Island Red hens-at least five years old, I suspected,

Record Season

IN

TN the following spring we began to hatch out the founders of our fortunes. We bought eggs at high prices and, put them went under the old hens as they broody. When the chicks, hatched But we smiled at orth other, vinced that our hands, had not last their cunning.

con-

And, indeed, it was a record sea- son. Let me tell you the figures of the

104 chicks record. Exactly

hatched out. We were uble to speculate at once."

Of the 104 chicks at least four dozen would almost certainly bei pulicts... At a conservative estimate they would lay us in the flush of the season a score and a half of eggs a day. Eggs in those days were 3d. and 4d. each; let us say, then, 10s. a day would be our income during October and November.

the

And so the story goes on.

The tu, ni FRANK CAPRA'S Machnert Production RONALD COLMAN in

LOST HORIZON

A tezialization of Rabert Riskin's screen version of James Hilton's novel. Nerratjve by Albart Duffy.

WHAT HAS Harrants BerORR Robert Conway, British diplo mat to the East, to found in amali Chinese mission after having been missing for more than a year. Bu kan no memory of his past life but he readily agrees to return to England. with Lord Gainsford. On the boat, en route to England, some strains of strange beautiƒu! music bring back Ale memory. If thatste that he must leave the bout at tie next stop-that The must return to Shangri-la. Conway tells of the svacka. tion of the white residents From Baskul -- where he was the consul - tohon the city soas attacked by bandits. Con- way, with his brother, George, an American named Barnard, a aullen, down-an-her-luck daugh- ter of joy named Gloria Stone and an English scientiat, Alex- under P Lovett, leave in the that plane just a few jumps whead of the oncoming bandits. The next morning they discover That their plot ta ut Fenner of the Royal Air Force as they supposed, but a mysterious Monya! They have been kid- napped! Suddenly the plane be gins to descend. Conny nad his In other plan to attack the pilot up soon as the plane renches the ground

"

NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY

Chapter Three

ovar

the

George joined him from the other eido just as Conway, after a quick frisk. stuffed the pilot's revolver into his pocket. "What's up?" George asked "Fainted

Conway, impressed by the pilots utter Himpnews, lifted his chin, stared Into his face, puiled up his eyelid and then placed his hand over the fler's heart.. He looked, up at his brother soberly "He's dead,”” ho Bald. "Probably happened the mo ment we hit the ground" Conway picked up a map that was on the seat beside the pilot and studied 11:

"See that spot?" he naked George nodded. That was where we stop pod his morning for gasoline. He had it marked. It's right on tho border of Tibet. Since then we've been in the air for fourteen hours-

two roughly covered

thousand triles."

"Where does that put us"" George asked

"See this spot" Conway asked, pointing at a dot on the map. "That's where civilization stops. We're at least a thousand miles 12- yond that in unexplored country ihat no one has ever reached."

George stared at his brother, wide-eyed, the gravity of their situ ation alowly penetraling his mind. "Later. Freshie, our chances of getting out of the are about-well, they're slim, at best. We can't af ford to have three hysterical peo- pie on our hands Keep this to your

lf." He turned and entered the body of the plane

"Everything's alright," he said cheerily That pilot isn't going to bother us any more Hi's dead

Well, what are we gonna do now Barnard asked

"Wouldn't be much use doing any. The plane bumped rough, uninhabited space. As il tax-thing." Conway said. "My sugges led to a stop Conway turned to histion is a good night's sleep. It - brother "All right. George, come warm in here, and the storm may

on!" He threw open the door and dit down before morning." started to get out Then he stopped George, who had followed his suddenly George. puering over his brother into the plane, suddenly brother's shoulder," whistled softly) grasped him by the shoulder and

your

A strange and half mcredible night

must be prepared always to allow for And what a man's life! You'll like the unexpected misfortune. In my il all right.. if you're that sort case it happened to be my wife of man.

THE

SWEDISH EAST ASIATIC

HOMEWARDS to:

Fort Sudan, Port Said, Tripoll, Algiers, (Oran), Antwerp, Rotterdam (Amsterdam), Hamburg. Copenhagen, Gothenburg & Scandinavian ports.

M.8. "BHANTUNG" M.S. "NANKING"

safling about

zalling about

OUTWARDS to: Yokohama, Kobe & Osaka.

M.V. "TAMARA" ALV. "PEIPING"

8th Apr. 4th May.

.21st Apr.

21st May.

(Passage fare to London or Antwerp: £53) Agents:

GILMAN & CO., LTD.

T'hone: 300GB,

Hongkong.

G. E. HUYGEN,

Canion

Phone: 11495,

IN LONDON

The

Hongkong Telegraph

is on sale at SELFRIDGE'S

the For Advertising Rates the London Representatives

But ...of the 104 chicks only six proved to be pullets. That was record and we even Improved on it. One chick died, but not, as you might cockerel. Oh, no, one of imagine, a

six pullets. So we had five pullets Instead of about 50 with

to start the now season. which

We carried on, and by the following spring we had one fine young cow, her calf, au old cow with prospects, four young sows, and 800 young chickens, of which we hoped at least a score might prove to be pullets.

When it was possible to tell the axes apart, we found, with casualties, that we had about 200 nice young pullets. Our book-keeping was not

are

REUTERS,

LTD.

3, Tokenhouse Buildings King's Arms Yard

Bank E.C.2. London

a group of rotored pavilions Welcome to Shangri-la," and Chang

„Olinping in the DEONTai viena

whirled him around, "Why don't In amazement A horde of strange. : scantily attired natives — all brand. | you tell them the truth" ha de- ishing swords and ancient muskelsmanded fiercely "Tell them they're had sprung up around the plane a million miles from civilization Conway climbed back into the plane not a chance of getting out of here alive. it's slow starvation, that's and shut the door

what it is—a slow, horrible'death!" Everyone turned to Conway, hop- ing that he would refute his broth ar's hysterical statement But Con. way looked beyond them at George who, ashamed of his slipped into a seat, avoiding his brother's accusing eyes.

The leader of the band went 10 the front of the plane and parleyed with the pilot in due course the pilot handed over some gold to the native leader who turned and is sued a command to his men

"Hey. Jon. Barnard cried, "they're loading her up with gaso ine And indeed they were

calm

plane

outburst,

All that night they remained in the plane, sleeping Alfully, and in All that day and far into the the morning Conway and George night they flew. From the windows act out through the atorm to for there was nothing to be seen but age. A couple of hours later they arms filed with a steady procesalon of mountain returned, their peaks as the plane climbed higher mountain grass.

"Well," George said, dumping the and ever higher In the Conway did everything he could grass on a seat, "at least we won' to keep his fellow passengers starve while we have this. There' When the allometer regis real nourishment in this stuff tered 10.000 feet and still continued Barnard turned away in disgust and to climb, Gloria, who had suffered peered out the window Suddenly in silence most of the day, pressed he shouted "Hey-look

They all rushed to the window her hands to her care and begon Coming over the brow of a nearby to groan "My ears are killing me!" she cried Barnard tried to calm was a caravan of native por In the middle of the caravan We've been up fourteen hours there was a hooded chair carried by on this stretch, aisler." he weld.

four natives Conway approached "This can't last much longer." Gloria's voice rent the air

her.

tern.

the chair, bowed courteously to the

can't stand it?" she screamed "Take elderly Chinese who was is occu- us down' I can't stand the pain pant, and greeted him in Chinese.

She rushed to the The Chinese smiled at Conway. any more! panel behind the cockpit and be-

"I am from a nearby lamasery," can to pound on the glass. Barnard he said in perfect Engilsh "y followed her and put his arm name is Chang."

Conway grinned and extended his around her shoulder "Take it easy.

hand. Mine's Conway,” he anid wieter." he said.

Quickly he explained to For a time nothing was heard simply save her stined moans. Suddenly Chang what had happened to the the motor began to spli and coughttle group in the plane. Chang s The plane lurched violently, there tensed quietly and then ordered his was a loud, sputtering noise and servants to provide warm clothes then the motora went dend.

"He's run out of petrol," Conway explained.

for the refugten""I shall be pleased to guide you to our lamasery where you will be most welcome."

Conway and hla companione "Good heaven" erted Lovelt quickly climbed into the warm "Can he land?"

clother and the caravan was soon Conway tried to keep the doubt on its way back up the mountain out of his voice "He can glide her pass. It was a torturous and weary- down, he said.

Ing journey, Hour after hour they George, peering from the window. | eltmbed higher and bisher into the began to shout. "There's pol ke mountain fastnem, skirting danger can make! The plane swayed perilous ravines, maneuvering around ously in a cross wind as Conway, treacherous hairpin turns looked out over his brother's «houl- At long last they reached the sum- der. He turned to the others - his mit of the mountain, crept around voice electric with authority "Come narrow ledge and with one accord here, all of you! Crowd to the back they stopped, staring unbelievingly. of the plans. He may nose over!" that what lay before them.

It was, Indeed, a strange and half "They all rushed to the rear of the plane as it lurched to the Incredible sight-an eye-killing hor ground. The undercarriage struck son diffusing a softness and a the icy clearing, bounced several warmth that was breath-taking. Be umes and finally stopped. For a molow them, to the left, a group of ment there was utter silence. Then colored pavilions clung to the moun- Conway grasped his brother.

tainside, Farther on, in the hazy Come on, George We'll try the distance, was a valley that looked same thing again. You go around for all the world like a huge tap- back and i tackts him from the astry, superb and exquisite in Ju front." Conway, opened the door blanding of soft colors. and they both plunged out into the swirling snow.

Conway clainberað forward to the Bockpit. He pushed open the door and climbed inside. The pilot was `stumped," biert over the controls.

Conway felt a hand rest lightly on his arm. He turned and found Chang alanding beelde him,

Welcome to Shangri-la,” he said.

(To Be Centinn92)

CANADIAN PACIFIC

STEAMSHIPS - HOTELS

PALANANS - EXPRESS

TO MANILA

EMPRESS OF ASIA

.5 pm, Fri, Apr. 1,

TO CANADA, UNITED STATES and EUROPE ̧vis Shanghai, Kobe & Yokohama EMPRESS OF ASIA EMPRESS OF CANADA via Honolulu EMPRESS OF RUSSIA EMPRESS OF JAPAN

.7.00 a.m. Fri., Apr. 15. .....Noon, Fri, Apr. 20. .Noon, Fri, May 13, Noon, Fri, May 27.

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Monthly Service to

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also taking cargo on through Bills of Lading for Weat Indies ports, Rio do Janeiro, Santos, Rio Grande do Sol Buenos Aires, South America.

NEXT SAILING:-

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on 18th April

Excellent accommodation for 12 passengers

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Agents..

Hongkong Bank Bldg.

Telephone 28021.

OUR

BRITISH CROSSWORDS

1101

ACROSS

1 Fondle a bird for example (7).

5 Part of a car to include an anl-

mal (7).

9 He has his services on a battle-

ship perhaps (0),

10 Where many a foreign

works (7),

11 Related in Scotland (3).

artist

12 A Dictator la certainly one (5).

13 Attack, but why amusement

shown? (9).

10 A painter was met about this

(3).

17 Enough for a buttonhole per-

haps (5).

18 This makes a tin dress (0). 20 "Mouthcase" seems an apt ana-

gram (9).

24 A bright collection of Roman

numerals (5).

27 A detergent (3).

28 Grove (9).

32 Disease that starts a man in a

conino (5),

33 Angiers like to feel this re-

versed at this (3).

34 When you start a ball rolling

you overcome this (7). 35 Feminine name (5). 36 Range

(apparently there has been some firing too) (7). 37. This word is made of letters"

DOWN

(7).

I Much has been written on this

Derby winner (7).

2 A youngster party peculiar fo

appearance (7).

3 Thero should be no bad sight th the army, as the mon are so of ten told this. (two words-4, 5); 4-English poet (7),

5 Confusion (5).

0 Part of an amphitheatre (5).

7 Weapon that might be useful to

the wounded (5),

& Cloud formation (7).

14 Two down growing up (8). 15 A plece of furniture (3). 19 Abuse (D).

20(7) (Yes you have a clue). 21 Foreign coln (3).

23 Proverbially simple letters (3). 23 Graceful (?).

25 Strong but might be not evil

(7).

20 Empty (7).

20 Far from a dirge (5), 30 A humble fastening (5).

31 "But mercy is above this acep- tred away, it is enthroned in thes of kings" ("Merchant of Venice" (5).

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION BLEAK MAKESHIFT

F "IGHENT SHRIVE I

FRAI

TEN TIT

ICROTOHETI NEBB

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