Smyrna times., 1878-12-18
.SmYrnU. DeI.
.Ala'icHIIaE2'0I.
Small Farms.
A PLEA FOR SMALL FARMS.


To 60 back to the year 1860, where
only we can get accurate statistics of the
products of the United States and the pro-
ducts of France, let me call your atten-
ton to the following remarkable, but re- l.
liable statistics of French agriculture. |
France then produced 230,0O0,000 bushels |
of oats against our 170,000,OO0; 70,OO0,OOO |
bushels of rye against our 20,000,O0O; co. !
100000 bushels Of barley against our l2,000,- |
600, and 100000 bushels Of buckwheat
against our 100000. Nor was she with
out the products of grazing and pasture
land, which are supposed to be the neces-
sity requiring our extended farms. She
had 100000 horse and mules against our
4,250,0 100000 of neat cattle against
our 13,000.000; 100000 sheep against
our 24,000,000, and 100000 swine against
our 100000. AS an example of what
may be the profits of the smaller industries
of farming, which by the farmers of the
United States are reckoned almost value
less, it is an astonishing fact that in the
year 1866 France exported as much in
value of eggs to England alone as we ex-
ported of bacon and hams, one of our chief
exports of provisions in 1868, to all the
world; that is to say, in round numbers,
rising of $5,000,000 while we exported eggs
to the paltry number of 4l2 dozen. No
man who has had these figures brought to
his consideration and who has not examin.
ed the agricultural productions of France,
both in variety and amount, can believe
that the 3S,050,000 of her inhabitants on a
territory so small as to give only three-and-
ahalf acres to an inhabitant, could vie in
agricultural productions, of all that goes to
make up the necessaries of living and ma
tional wealth, save cotton and tobacco, with
o nation like ours, of about the same num-
Der of inhabitants, whose territory gives
more than fifty acres to each inhabitant, or
nearly seventeen times as much land for
cultivation.
REASONS FOR PROSPERITY.
Land in France is very equally divided
among the whole of the population. Ac-
cording to the latest official returns the
cultivated land of France was divided
into 5,550,000 distinct properties. OF this
total the properties averaging 600 acres
numbered $4,000, and those averaging 60
acres, 100000, while there are 100000 of
properties under six acres. After hearing
these statistics, the question, | have no
doubt, arises to the lips of each one of my
auditors, as it came to me, how are these
very great results possible? What is the
secret? This may be told in word.
1t is the thorough cultivation of the soil.
Of her 132.000,000 of acres, Cd, 100000 are
arabic; 100000 only are in meadows, OF
as we say, fields and grass; 100000 in
vineyards 100000 in orchards and gar
dens; 2,250.000 in miscellaneous crops
100000 in wood and forest; 100000 in
ponds, 20,0O0,000 only may be called hearth
or waste lands, the remainder being fol
roads, public squares, canals and pleasure
grounds-about 7 100000 Of acres. Thus il
will appear that two-thirds of the entire
area Of France is under actual cultivation
every year.
GATHERING THE THREADS OF THE ARGUMENT
However, seem to hear some one of the
enthusiastic managers of this Internationa
Dairy Fair saying to himself, his courtesy
to the speaker preventing his speaking
aloud his thoughts admitting all that ha
been said to be true, in favor of:arming in
general way on small farms, how does i
appear that such a division of land i
favorable to the production of butter anC
cheese? l pray leave to give one fact il
answer to that. England is the best countr.
that either France or the United States ha
for those articles, and in the year 1876
which are the last reliable statistics which
| have, from which / have been quoting
England bought of our butter $2.965,0 ,00
worth, and of our cheese $l2, ,S24 900 worth
or an aggrete of both article which ma
we'll arouse the pride Of the United States
of Sl5,7S9,OOO, while England bought G
France the same year Sl8,672, 900 worth G
butter. You will observe that say moth
ing of the cheese that France sold to Enl
land, for the French farmers are far to
practical to allow their cows to browz
around bare pastures until their milk pre-
duces no butter but cheese alone; and, b.
sides, France eats most of her cheese he
self.-Speech Of Gen. Butler before the America
Tae1;1,1e