The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-10-09

has already wrought change in the opin-
ion of many farmers in reference TO the
productiveness of our sandy lands. The
tide of settlement has sought its level on
the heavy timbered lands, thus they have
been cultivated while the other portions
have been passed over without trial.
Now and then a lumber shanty has forced
an improvement, which small beginnings
have in some instances resulted III profit
able farms. @
knew two farmers in one neighbor-
hood, who had each about forty acres un-
der improvement: A. had pine, sandy
land B., heavy clay land. A. commenc.
ed his improvements by force of circum-
stances, in numbering winters, and "stav-
ing" on the ground summers. B. pur-
chased his for farm and worked accord
ingly-discouraging his neighbor in any
attempts at farming on his land, with the
cry of dry weather; Your land will not
stand the droulh," was his main argu-
ment A. being much inclined to his
neighbours opinion had but little conf
dence, therefore small hope; but he per-
severed like all other Fundamentally
die hard. After five years Of successes
and disappointments, more or less, on
; both sides, A. became convinced his land
would stand dry weather better than his
neighbor's; and, taking the seasons to-
Egether, averaged better crops.
l do not design to prove by this that
our light lands are more productive than
our heavy soils, nor vice versa, but that
our light lands are productive and make
good farms-farms that will pay. In
this case the cultivation each received was
better adapted to the pine land than To
the heavy timbered, clay land; at the
, same time each could be vastly improved
| am glad to see this subject is receiving
attention from our citizens, but not yet
to that degree it merits. We must de-
, velop the resources Of our county our.
, selves if we would incline others to visit
) US. The door must be opened from with
, in, and not battered down from without
1t is not in the general order of settle
ment that strangers come into n county
rs old as this and attempt something
new in farming. We can not depend up
on this for our strength; we shall remain
r weak if we do. 1t is for us to remove
! the veil of doubt and uncertainty, anC
exhibit the facts; things that are; whicl
can leave no possible chance for doubt
; Then will confidence be produced, ant
the stranger be induced 10 make his home
| with us.
|, |, A practical illustration Of the adapta
ton of soil, climate and production, i
seen in contrasting England and France
We partake, in measure, of both, unde
: our system of cultivation; partly from
necessity in the double similarity of eli
mate and soil, and partly from the habit
Of immigrants from those countries. =
: Crossing the Atlantic does not obliterat
the teachings of youth, nor the practica
: tendencies of middle age; hence on
country is filed with hash of system
as various as the different races in on
D population. An educated partiality fo
: low lands, marshes, timbered land, O
! prairie, q torrid, temperate or arctic eli
. mate, can here be satisfied in the enjoy
ment of its desires. The Englishma
> has learned full well how to avail himsel
$ of the popularity in his climate for i
u itself there is nothing very seductive. 1t
: mists and rains are proverbial; its eS
u treme humidity is little favorable I
y wheat, which is the prime object of a
5 cultivation. with them and us. Fe,
u plants ripen naturally under its dull sky
. 1t is propitious only to grasses and roots
u Rainy summers, late autumns, and mil
! winters, encourage, under the influence {
. an almost equal temperature, an evergree
s. vegetation. Here its action stops. Notl
IS ing need be asked Of it which demand
} the Intervention of that great producin
" power the sun. Hence the agricuItur
I" Of Great Britain presents, with scarcel
d any exception, monotonous uniformity
s. and the whole system of English farmin
. may he described rs consisting, in larg
!, extent, of natural or artificial pasture
u two roots, the turnip, and the potatoe
. two spring cereals, barley and oats; an
20 winter one, wheat--liuked together ]
Q a series of crops, destined exclusively fo
l. the susteuance OF animals and men-o
n in other words, the production of mea
le beer and bread. Their abundant pa:
p lures are favorable TO the dairy, and tn
70 Quantities of butter and cheese manufaC
< tured throughout the whole extent
c. Great Britain challenge belief. Cheshir
Is alone produces cheese TO the value of
:. million annually. This has given I'll
$ English such worldwide reputation fc
y their famous breeds of mich cows, whic
s excel in their qualities for giving larg
n quantities of rich milk. They far exc
the French in this respect, who as nj
n ton are not much given TO milk. Al
d, other difference in English farming is Il
n, breeding of sheep, for mutton. In Franc
il the great object of Louis XVI when
a. introduced from Spain the celebrated IN
n, rinos was TO improve the growth of wo
lg and about one half of the French shet