The Glen

Kangaroo Island Courier (Kingscote, SA : 1907 - 1951), Saturday 18 June 1910, page 5

Kangaroo Island Farms.

No. IV. THE GLEN.

Situated in the Hundred of Cassini, and about 23 miles from Kingscote, is the holding of Messrs Foggo Bros., which, comprising 2,904 acres, is known as ' The Glen.' It embraces a large quantity of that 'useless ironstone country' and slate-stone. The day is not far distant, by the way, when those who condemn the Kangaroo Island ironstone country will have to eat their words. Foggo Bros. are the right stamp of men for pioneering work. Quiet, unassuming, industrious and stout hearted, they ' keep on pegging away, ' and each year increasing the value of their property. Their firm conviction is that, after 5 or 6 years of the ' working up or sweetening' process, the ironstone country can be made to yield from 12 to 16 bushels of wheat per acre in anything like decent seasons, and this, combined with sheep and by-products, will give profitable returns. As one of the brothers remarked — 'Keeping up to a standard of 12 bushels here will pay as well as 16 on the mainland, as the Government price of land is so cheap by comparison, and there is a complete absence of vermin.' And, as Mr Richardson, Assistant Director of Agriculture, stated in the course of an address to Kangaroo Island farmers some time ago — ' Unlike the richer class of country, the more the ironstone is worked the stronger it will become.'

When Messrs J. S. and G. W. Foggo went to 'The Glen,' a few years ago, they first made a clearing in the heart of the scrub upon which to erect their borne. The homestead is nicely.situated on rising ground, looking out over the Cygnet River, which runs through the property. Along the river there are rich flats, studded with gum trees. These flats are cultivate for hay and vegetables and yield good returns— the hay cutting up to 3 tons per acre. But it is to the poorer class of country that the brothers have devoted most of their attention, and each year sees the tract of cleared country becoming greater, and the grass growing more luxuriantly.

A representative of this paper paid a visit to 'The Glen' last week and found its occupants busily engaged in ploughing operations on ironstone country. The visitor was informed that 90 acres will be cultivated this year — mostly wheat. A fact worthy of notice as a tour of inspection was made of the farm was that each successive year of ploughing the ironstone soil assumes a darker color as it is turned over.

Riding over the property in company with Mr J. S. Foggo interesting comparisons were made with regard to the grass country. Where the land had been cleared once green feed was showing up well but it suffered by contrast with the country that, had been cleared the second year and where cleared for a term of three years the feed looked 'tip-top' — has showing that the ironstone will make capital country for carrying stock when well sweetened. Yorkshire Fog and rye grasses, where sown, look particularly healthy.

The year before last Messrs Foggo Bros. had about 130 acres under crop, mostly wheat, and averaged between 6 and 7 bushels all round. Last year, owing to a particularly unfavorable season, they did not do so well. This year, by carefully noting results and conditions as they go along, they estimate that, given a fair season, they will get a return of 12 bushels on the poor country and this standard they believe will be kept up and improved as the land becomes sweetened. Later on they intend devoting their attention to sheep as well as agriculture. They look upon their farm as still yet in the experimental stage and are quite satisfied with results up to date. Their belief in a solid future for the ironstone country is firm and not to be shaken.

On the river flat in front of the homestead there is a healthy looking fruit garden of one and two-year-old fruit trees — such as mulberries, quinces, apples, plums, pears, apricots, peaches and lemons — also grapes. The trees are making splendid headway, likewise the vines, and there is no doubt that, in a few years, when all the initial difficulties have been overcome, 'The Glen' will be a fine property. Vegetables grow as fast as weeds, and on the ' ironstone,' near the homestead, a magnificent growth of trefolium was noted where a handful of super had been thrown. This year the fertilizers used at ' The Glen' are sulphate of ammonia and sulphate of potash. Our readers will recollect the splendid results achieved by Mr John Turner of Smith's Bay, by the aid of the former.

Along the river flats this year 20 acres have been put under crop for hay, and this presented a particularly healthy appearance. We passed one patch where a splendid yield of melons, tomatoes and potatoes had been recently realised. Messrs Foggo Bros, will probably, however, like others on the ironstone country, also go in considerably for rye grain later, seeing that this makes splendid growth on this class of soil, and that a good market is opening up. Too much cannot be said in praise of these pioneers who, in face of the fact that the 'ironstone' country is despised and condemned by so called agricultural authorities, are doggedly and patiently pursuing their way, year after year, ' belting into the scrub,' (with no assistance from an unsympathetic Government, and little or no encouragement from the outside public) with a quiet confidence in themselves and the land that they are reclaiming from the state in which it has existed for ages — poisoned by a dense network of roots — but now being made sweet, wholesome, and well adapted for the growth of cereals or the carrying of stock,

Kangaroo Island Farms. (1910, June 18). The Kangaroo Island Courier (Kingscote, SA : 1907 - 1951), p. 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article191638261

FOGGO, George Wishart

b. 10 May 1881 Rosewater, SAd. 30 Jun 1963 Ceduna, SAe. Occupation Betw. 1907 and 1912 farmer, The Glen, Hd Cassini, K.I.m. HARMER, Edith 04 Nov 1912 Arthurton, SA d. 06 Sep 1943Seven children from 1913-1920, born on the West Coast.

FOGGO, James Smith

b. 30 Mar 1887 Rosewater, SAd. 16 Feb 1968 Daw Park, SAe. Occupation Betw. 1907 and 1912 farmer, The Glen, Hd Cassini, K.I.m. STACE, Florence B. 09 Feb 1929 Glenelg, SA d. 02 Jan 1955

And then they departed

The s.s. Australian called in at the jetty yesterday morning. She is to take a load of cargo for Foggo Bros, who are leaving these parts, and making for Denial Bay.

S.S. AUSTRALIAN. (1912, March 16). The Kangaroo Island Courier (Kingscote, SA : 1907 - 1951), p. 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article191637945