BACK TO THE FARM

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 211, 5 September 1924, Page 5

BACK TO THE FARM

MM. PLAN,

LIKES COUNTRY LIFE. LONDON, August 2G. Mrs. George Vanderbilt, widow of the late George Washington Vanderbilt, on returning from abroad announced that in future she would be ft "plain farm woman." She will direct the huge Biltmorc estate in North Carolina, which was left to her by her husband. She will ho joined there by her daughter and son-in-law. The daughter was Miss Cornelia Vanderbilt, a famous beauty and one of the most popular of American society women. The son-in-law is Mr. John Francis Amherst Cecil, uncle of Baron Amherst of Hackney, Who resigned his position as secretary to the British Embassy at Washington to marry Misß Vanderbilt. '.'The next- development of American society life of the future will be country family life similar to the country life of England," gays Mrs. Vanderbilt.

I—_— ! George Washington Vanderbilt, who died in 1914, was known as "Farmer George." His great model farm in North Carolina was conducted on the most scientific principles, and his research work was responsible for many improvements in American farming. He paid.particular attention to afforestation, for which he employed the j best German experts. This, of course, was before the War. Mr. Vanderbilt founded a village-set-tlement scheme near his North Carolina estate, and he encouraged the settlers to engage in various industries. Among these was the weaving of cloth with hand looms. This cloth attained. a nation-wide reputation, and the settlors were not able to meet the demand for it. A member of the wealthy Vanderbilt family, George Washington Vanderbilt left a huge fortune when he died, 10,000,000 dollars (£2.000,000) of which Went to Miss Corhelia Vanderbilt, his only daughter. I