Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-04-27
EnteusiVe aud Extensive Farming
sheep I'm the Southern States.
From the American Farmer.

from the American Iarmef.
French writers, on rural economy, find
in convenient 20 divide practical agrieul-
ture into two equally important systems Of
cultivation. To one is applied the term
iatsasire farming, az indicating TIE concen
tration Of capital, labor and fertilizers on
comparatively small surface, while the
other is called crtcnsig farming, because
labor, capital, and, sometimes, manure. are
employed over a wide area Under favor
able circumstances, both systems NAV be
combined, as a brief review of the subiact
will satisfy the reader
The want Of good roads 10 cities, on
which 10 convey grain, hay, vegetables
and fruits 10 needy consnmers in walled
towns, early led to the more thorough aud
intense working of the soil near them. To
avoid famine and the pestilence that ever
follows In its train. We know 40 little of
these scourges of antiquity that few APP
preciate the necessity for improved farm
ing and gardening developed by the rapid
growth of cities and villages. While the
physical wants of any given number of
people remain the same from one genera
lion 10 another, their social progress may
call for much larger supply per capita OF
agricultural products When che sees wool
and cotton made into carpets for the mil
lion, and leather into cushions and covers
for carriages, he has occular demonstra-
ton Of arts and wants, whose demands on
rural industry are a. boundless as human
pride and ambition.
In this country, cities and villages grow
much faster than rural population. and as
a consequence, the market price OF all ar
hcles of food for man and beast. and of
most raw materials Of manufacture steadi-
ly advance from one decade 10 another.
The advance would now be much LARGER
than Il Is If that part Of the continent which
belongs 90 the United States were not 80
highly favored by nayigable rivers. lakes
bays, and by more than thirty thousand
miles of working railways. While these
facilities for cheap transportation greatly
promote the most extensive system of til
lage and husbandry, they are perhaps still
more efficient in huilding up both old and
new cities, towns and villages, which in
turn create local markets for the products
Of the most intensive farm and fruit grow
ing in their vicinity. The United States
census Office estimates our population at the
close Of this century At something over one
hundred million souls; and whether we
study human progress in Europe or this
country, all the indications favor the idea
of a great advance in the market value of
real estate within the next twenty years.
Without disparaging the propriety Of con-
Centrating capital, skill and industry, on
rather limited surface, il may not be amiss
10 refer 10 some Of the advantages of i'm
proving large tracts Of land BY sheen rails
ing and wool growing in the South.
In the first place, all must see that We
have not capital enough nor labor TO cult
vate, with the plough, more than a small
fraction Of the six hundred million acres in
the late slayeholding States, and | respect
fully submit 10 large landholders snd
Others, whether it will not give better in.
come from Southern soil and labor 10 chilli
vaie the best perennial grasses that grow In
Texas, and ON the plains east of the Rocky
mountains a. well as lhe Bermuda or
chard, and Kentucky blue grasa mot 10
name Others which the writer knows 10 be
reliable, in Georgia and Tennessee and
raise wool, sheep and other stock. than a.
cling 10 the Old system OF planting and
wearing out plantations On ali rich
lands, planting would now pay Handsomely
Sith slave labor. But slavery being dead
The important fact can neither be concealed
nor denied, that all free laborers, whether
white OF black, naturally prefer the easy
tssks Of shepherds, an the care Of sheen and
cattle, 10 the prolonged labor in the field In
raising cotton, rice, tobacco. or other nlant.
lag staples. In all hot, summer climates
where tropical plants are extensively cnl-
uyafed, free men and women are found I'm
reliable as field operatives, and mainly be.
cause they are measuahlv EXEMPT from
the Stern necessity OF being both indus.
trions and faithful 10 their engagements
which exists in all cold climates. Instead
OF complaining of this state Of things. and
sometimes losing money by placing to-
much confidence in the stability OF freed
men, IL Is better 10 adapt our agriculture 10
the instincts and idle habita Of The persons
with whom We have 20 deal. aud let them
be shepherds and shepherdesses in our en-
ployment, rather than common field hands.