Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1865-08-26
CULTIVATE THE SOIL.

| from the all-absorbing demands hitherto
made upon it by those commodities, to the
| neglect and exclusion of many other pro-
ducts Of prime necessity aud comfort to
man; less t,reearious in their seyeralstages
| OF growth and fructifcatien, equally, II
not more remnnorative in the end, and
| recurring far oas amount Of labor and
| capital to engage in their cultivation. IN
| fine. what we aim TO come At, is, that we
desire to SEQ all due and proper attention
given to the principal staples, such as cot
| ton and sugar, but at the sarne time more
care and attention paid TO the raising OF
fruits aud vegetables.
II IL surprising TO look abrond and see
what baB boon done and is doing in the
why OF highly rcmuneratiYe culture on
lpnda, which, compared 10 those IN our
vicinity, would no adiudged unfit FOL arabic
purposes, except by those who have tested
their capacity through the aid Of fertilizing
nsencieB. In The State Of New Jersey,
where perhaps the finest fruit is raised,
aud in the greatest abundance, immense
fortunes have been made upon lands,
which but for the skilIiul pains taken to
render them productive, would be consid-
cred sterile and worthless. Whist were
once wide barren waste spots have been
taken up and transformed into luxuriant
orchards and gardens taemiug with wealth
to the proprietors, and putting TO the blush
regions lar more favored as TO qualities Of
soil and Temperature Of climate.
There is no portion Of lha globe better
adapted to agricultpre and horticulture in
nj their infinite varieties, than the Misss-
sippi Valley. Along It's length is COM
prised every grndo OF soil aad aim ost every
variety OF climate, and there is no reason
why it should not be made to take the
very first rank in horticultural products,
MS before The war, it did in the production
Of the great agricultural staples. A change
of circumstances in the order and condi-
ton of labor and plant in the southern
portions Of the Valley will doubtless lead
to Il generalization of Lillago more in con
sonance with the immediate requirements
| Of subsistence. There will be fewer large
plantations and rs smaller farms augment
in number, there will he n proportonnte
augmentation of that species Of culture
which reckons more upon variety, than
upon any one single product for livelihood
| and profit New sources of wealth will be
opened TO the producer, and home markets
| will be improved. What il raised by the
Turner will be brought to our towns for
sale, and the money they receive Will be
spent Rgain among those from whom they
receive IT, There viii be less need Of for
egn expectation or importation; less Of
that Capitalization of capital and lind IN
| the hands Of few less OF that building
up Of distant interests To the detriment
aud drawback of home prosperity; and
more of general display Of industry aud
| enterprise, because of The wider field that
I
aud development
| An an instance Of what uan be accom-
plished, even by rude culture, in small
| farming way, upon the rich soil Of our
| own State, we extract the following por-
ton af communication addressed TO the
New Orleans Ptcaganc, from n writer in
tho Parish Of Plaquemines
| 81 have very often remarked in your
| columus TINT there il no more profitable
| business available on this coust than the
| raipiug Of vegetables for the New Orleans
! market. 1t has come TO my knowledge
| that Two freedmen rented lust spring for
4 1850 D small tract ~ naked land ut Jea-
| ut's Bend, locality in tho upper portion
| Of the parish, whore they planted wnLor,
melons, corns and sweet potatoes. Out Of
them limited field they have already sold
| tNn0 worth Of watermoIons, aud will
| probably get D few hundred ID ore for their
corn and potato crop, which is still intact.
| My informant, who il pretty good Judge
| in all that relatoB to agriculture. calculates
| thut they will olear oyer twelve hundred
| dollars, Mi expenses paid. Tho example
set by these iaborions blacbmGp should DO
1 i11lOWbu uub DAlT ny bH5li 5bDtt bItbDfDUs
but by good many whites who arc now
in misery, having been taught that farm
| ing il life of unreo toll md drudgery,
with no opportunity Of amassing n COM
| potency"
Apropos, and by way OF conclusion, we
cannot refrain from reproducing the sensi-
BILE remarks issuing from tho same writer
on the subject upder consideration, which
| are in this wise:
"Agricultural pursuits are not, as has
| lately been remarked by one of the lead
| ing papers Of the country, the irksome and
Improbable occupation that most people
| imagine it to be. Our youth prefer TO
sweiter in cities rather than enjoy tho
scope and freedom Of the pure, free coun-
try mir. They forsake their fathers farms
to pull tooth, or measure tape, or chop
| logic in some fotid city. Farming here, az
well us throughout tho vast egpanse Of our
country, offers the greatest inducements
for the perfectly safe and profitable invest
ment Oh capital.
"To judge from present appearances, one
would be led to suppose that one half OF
the voting population Of this State are go
4 lieit;pp .Lr votes IF sha other hnlf for off