Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-10-14
Italian Cultivat0rs.

An Italian correspondent, writing from
the fertile region between Piacenza and
Rmini, known under the name of Emilia,
says: The people Of the Emilia, like
those of Piedmont, Lombardy and Tus-
cany, are diligent and indcfatigable Guilt
vators. The husbandry IN the plain is al
most everywhere the same hemain prod
uce is wheat and other grain, maize, or,
as they call it. turkish corn, or melicd or
nelga, wine and silk. The most approved
method hitherto has been to bring all
these products out Of the same ground, in
the same season, relying on the I'M
matched fertility Of the soil and on the
most unsparing use OF manure. The
same field is planted with rows of young
mulberry trees for the silk; every tree
bears its vine hanging On festoons from
tree to tree for the wine, and between the
rows the ground is plowed deeply and
carefully to receive the seeds OF winter
and spring grains. OF late some preju-
dices have arisen against this system OF
cultivation, and some of the farmers, con
tending that 1.-THE sun alone is the creator
of all things" are cutting down and tear
ing up all trees and laying the ground
bare for miles and miles around, thinking
that good grain crop is worth more than
the httle dribbling of products OF all
other kinds, little needing how sadly
their improvements may interfere with
the loneliness of that luxuriant vegetation
which made OF the plain of North Italy
garden, and without which it would soon
become as dreary region as the wilds OF
CASTLE Many of the old-fashoned peo-
pie, however, and especially the small
proprietors, stick to their iorefathers ira
ditions, and it will, perhaps be long be-
fore they give up mode Of cultivation
which makes one and the same land sup
ply nearly all their wants. All the filling
of the ground and all farm and road work
is here done by auction. Immense i'm
mensc importance is therefore attached to
the cattle, which attain here the very
highest degree of beauty and usefulness, and
command very high prices. saw yoke
OF rstratc oxen sold yesterday for ninety
gold napoleons, and another of very sec
ond-ratc quality for forty nine gold napo-
Icons The care and love with which
these creatures are tended are about the
same as are bestowed in England on the
best horses in hunting 'Squire's stables.
Out come these tail, bulky, short
horned, short-leg,red straw or pearl
colored steers from their sheds
rs clean and glossy and in as good
condition rs the most unremiltng at,cn-
ton and libcrality can well make them.
They are stall fed almost from their birth
TO their last journey to the shambles, for
outdoor grazing is unknown here, the
meadows, which are mown four times in
the year, supplying green grass in spring
and hay in abundance or'the rest of the
year A thrifty country gentleman will
tell you that his stable yields more than
either his cornteld or vineyard for the
custom is to be perpctually breeding, rear
ing, selling, buying and exchanging cat
tie, and by watching the seasons and con
sulting the chances of supply and demand
the practice of selling in the highest and
buying in the lowest market is soon turned
to profit Together with the cattle a large
quantity of swine, poultry, rabbits, etc,
also contribute to the income Of the farm.
1t seems easy in England TO laugh at the
grcyhound-shap of Italian pigs, but at
1empis have been made to introduce the
shortiegged English breed here, and the
experiment has turned out failure, every
thing being in this country sacrificed to
size. ! saw yesterday at friends house
SOW, a venerable mother of several gen
erations, which can hardly have measured
less than eight feet from the muzzlc to the
than three feet on her troiters, and might be
ridden 10y child as easily as reasonably
sized donkey The proud mistress Of the
house assured me that the creatures long
and mcritorous services were at last en-.
titled to their reward; that she should
hencetorth live on the best the farm AT.
tordcd; and after three or tour months
feeding her lank ribs would next Janu-
ary or February fill uD so WOn1rOuslV that
her legs would be no more visible, when
she would attain II 300 pound weight and
fetch as many lire, or say el2 at the pork
butchers. BE ii remembered that we arc
here in the Emilia, where the flavor OF
pork is SO exquisite that its various manu-
iactures--the Salami Of Parma Zamponi
Of Modena, MortadelIa Of Bologna, Spallo
of st. Secondo, and other delicacies--are
highly valued throughout Italy, and find
their way as great luxuries to foreign
markets.