Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-03-02
THE FARM:
The Garden...The Orchard.
A View of American Agriculture.

A View Of American Agriculture.
CHAPTER ".
Whit is the arailobie Capacity offhe Far
ming Lands IN the United States to feed
and clothe the Human FlmIys
Concluded from our Lastl
Belgium sustains population Of 335
per 50. mile. With a population equally
dense, Virginia would contain twenty-five
million seventy FIVE thousand two hundred
souls. Belgium, by the attention paid to saw
ing manures, and with climate inferior to
that of the cold Dominion" is able to
export no inconsiderable quantity of beef,
mutton, pork, butter, cheese, and also
some grain. 1t has nearly three million
four hundred and twenty-five thousand FIVE
hundred and seventy -four hectares of land.
(D OF this, one million seven hundred and
seventeen thousand three hundred and
fifty four are arabic, and six hundred and
forty-uine thousand nine hundred and
ffty-two are in wood and forests. Prairies
and meadows cover an area of four hundred
and thirty nine thousand five hundred and
niuety.four hectares. Waste lands in un.
cultivated tracts four hundred and twenty
eight thousand two hundred and ninety
one. In his agricultural Survey Of Flan-
ders," Mr.. Ratcllff says that the dairy
men keep their COW stables the year round
as near as may be at the temperature of
the month of May. Cattle (neat) are fat
ted and sold when two years old Tie
average number SO disposed of, every year
for fourteen years, was eight hundred aud
ninety eight thousand and seventy-six.
The soil in Flanders is naturally poor, and
the maxim is, "Wi.hcu. stall-fed cattle no
manure, and without manure no crops"
To say nothing of the keep Of dairy cows,
working oxen, horses, sheep, and swine,
the people themselves equal one to every
arabic acre in the kingdom. Speaking of
the agricultural produce and practice" of
Belgium, Mr.. McCulloch remarks "Corn
(wheat, fax, hemp, and timber constitute
the most important materials of the agri-
cultural wealth of Belgium. The soil arti-
fciaHy enriched, produces commonly more
than double The quantity of corn required
for the consumption ef;ts Inhabitants, which
is computed at six millions of hecto!i;res
(each two and three quarter bushels) per
anuum." This gives an aggregate Of six
teen million FIVE hundred thousand bushels
of wheat. The six hundred and forty-nine
thousand nine hundred and ffty-two hec:-
ares lover one million five hundred thou
sand acres) in woods and cultivated forests.
yield large profit in timber. The fact is
the more worthy Of note because Of all the
extravagant abuses of the bounties Of Pro-
,idence in this country, reckless waste
of timber is the least excusable. Timber
is about as necessary as bread and it re-
quires a vastly longer time to grow a good
oak than it does to fell one or grow crop
of corn. There are small forests of black
locusts in this country which yield from
twenty five to Fifty dollars worth Of railroad
ties per acre year, with no very expen-
sive culture. The grand secret of Belgian
farming lies in their producing, keeping
from loss, and good sense in applying ma
nures. Ofall civilized nations, We pay
least attention to appreciate the fact that
the more fat cattle, fat hogs, or sheep he
keeps, the more grain, tobacco, or cotton
he can make on his farm. 1t is stated, on
the above reliable authority, that the aver
age for fourteen years Of fat cattle solo in
Belgium, was eight hundred and ninety
eight thousand aud twenty-six head year
The essential object in making SO much
beef (not little of which is consumed in
London was the production Of manure.
The liquid excretions of single COW sell
at two pounds (ten dollars) ayear.
Virginia sends to Massachusetts, about
million bushels of corn per annum. If,
in place Of exporting this grain, it was fed
to hogs and neat cattle and their meat ex-
ported, the manure derived from the grain
consumed would give to the corn growers
Of that State Eve hundred thousand bush.