New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-02-24

Thus dear to Old Erin, in Music's soft dreams,
Signs faithfulIy-iondly the Harp OF the west.
From Hunts Merchans' Magazine.
system OF Agriculture Tn the Papal states
BY ]. TYLER HEADLEY.
The Mezzaria system, or the letting the farm
upon shares, is the old and universal custom, both
in the Papal States and Tuscany. The landlord
furnishes the necessary capital, the tenant all the
AGRICULTURAL implements and labor. The seed IS
paid for Jointly, and then the entire gross pro-
duce is divided equally. This partnership OF the
landlord and tenant works well IN tuscany, out
destructively in the dominions of the Church.
This system seems, at first sight, very far, espe-
cially as all the expense Of dltchlng, draining,
clearing, &C., falls on the landlord. In Tuscany,
it is found profitable, notwithstanding many
evils; and it's ruinous action in the Papal States
shows there is something wrong besides the Mez-
zaria system. Industryis not properly encouraged,
while the improved implements of agriculture
that would make it cheaper, cannot be introduced,
from the heavy duties laid on them by govern
ment. The plough, for instance, is merely
round pointed piece Of wood, sometimes shod
with iron, that passes like a stick through the
ground and does not turn large beautiful lur-
row like our modern plough. On this halEand-
half system, it is found by inquiry, that the ten
ant is always in debt to the landlord 1t is a
singular fact, also, that farms, let on the Mez-
zaria system, yield only p per cent, while those
given on long leases, yield per cent AS an
other proof that industry not properly rewarded,
grazing is found more profitable than planting, on
these immense plains, that be titled as easily
as the Mohawk fats. The mode of managing
rich arabic lands around the Eternal CITY, would
be considered rather odd in the new world.
am not now speaking of the system Of small
farms with poor landlords and poor tenants, but
of the mode Of farming the large districts. The
tract of land called the Maremma district en-
bracng the territory that lies on the sea between
Tuscany and Naples, the low land around Fer
rara and Ravenna, and the Campagna around
Rome itself, called by agricultursts the " Agro
Romano" are all divided into immense farms,
owned of course by few wealthy men, Thus
the whole Maremma district is owned by only
one hundred and fifty farmers. So also IN the
Agro Romano, embracing $4,000 acres, exists
the same impolitic division. One of the FARMS
called the Campo Marto," contains 10000
acres, others 5000, while there are none below
1000. This whole territory is owned by forty
two or three landlords, called " Mercanti di Cam
pagna," merchants of the country.) They con-
stitute privileged corporation under the protec-
ton of government Each merchant rents
several farms, paying tax only for that portion
under cultivation. These Mercanti are, of course,
extremely wealthy They never reside on their
farms, but build for themselves palaces in Rome,
where they live in unbounded luxury. Their
counting houses and clerks are also all in the
city. The I" iattore," as he is called in Italian
or steward, resides with few herdsmen in the
solitary Casalc--the only occupants OF the i'm
mense plain. It requires capital Of 100000
to manage one of the largest OF these farms, and
the smallest require $4,000. The rent of the
Campo Mario alone is $4,000 year. The
Mezzaria system, as | remarked, prevails almost |
although, in some parts leases or
fixed rents are common. This is where the large
farms arc let TO individuals, who Immediately
subdividc them into smaller ones, and rent them
to men of smaller capital.
These immense half barren tracts are as lonely
looking as our western prarles; nay, more so,
for the dilapidated form OF some old ruin rising on
the view, tells you that it was not always So
that once, glorious structures adorned that plain,
and the hum of a busy population was heard on
its surface. | have seldom seen more lonely
spectacle than the rude mud huts, shaped like a
beehive, of the herdsmen, standing here and
there on the unfenced plain, while the steward,
alone or with keepers dressed in their shaggy
sheep-skin coat, with pike in hand, were galloping
amid the herds on their half wild horses. They
look more like Arabs than peaceful farmers. This
system Of grazing is prectised only in the winter,
when on the Campagna alone are collected more
than half million sheep, and three or four
hundred thousand of the large grey Roman oxen.
In the summer, these plains become too hot and
unhealthy for the herds, and they are driven off
to the mountains, to Craze on the green pastures
of the Sabine hills and the high grounds around
the city, where they feed in safety till the season
of malaria is past But the horses on which the
herdsmen ride, are turned loose among the mo-
raises, to take care Of themselves. They feed
with perfect IMMUNITY on the unhealthiest tracts.
] have seen them almost to their backs in swamps,
that are equally impervious to the climate. In
this savage state they run about till autumn,
when they are again caught, rode over the
Campagna, fit companions for their wild looking
riders. The crops are raised during summer,
when the herds are among the hills, and the har-
vest is gathered in by the mountaineers, who
dwell on the Volscan hills and the more elevated
land towards the frontier of Naples. At this
time the heat is intense, and would make even
the slaves OF cotton plantation vince. The
poor peasantry, who have been accustomed from
their infancy to the fresh mountain breezes and
clear running streams of their native home,
lured by the prospect of gaining a few pauls to
support their families during the approaching
winter, descend into the plains, to gather in the
harvest. Then the slaughter commences, and
does not end till harvest In over, and often not
even then. The malaria seizes the hardy noun
taineer as its lawful prey, an dhurrieshlm withear
fail rapidity into the grave Unaccustomed to the
scorching sun that beats on these plains he finds
himself at night exhausted and feeble. Injured
TO toll, and delving among his native hills from
morning till night, he wonders at his WEAKNESS