The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-02
ylTURE MADE A BOND SLAVE
THE GREAT EST.tBLISHNENT or THE
DEClNTILLES NEAR P.1RIS.
. LATEST Reancmcnts in the Cultivation Of
the soII-How the Work Is Laid Out
rarm TINT Pays Better than Gold Wine
a, Example FROM France for Farmers.

,.u tbnt Pays Better than ~ Gold Wine |
4, Example FROM France for Farmers.
p,u,.. Aug. Z. We are not accustomed to !
.rl rance ~ the land OF agricultural de-
lament. She is rather looked upon rs be-
r,i fine age in all that pertains to Intelligent
,luyation ~ the soil. In travelling through
. country you SEQ clumsy old-iashioncl
,turhs. ancirnt harrows. and wcll-worn
',l..- and si.klcs. tho modern cultvators
,,,,ue and moving machines. sei-rakers
.,drro-hing machines are rarely found. This
fs.t az Improvement upon the old-timr
,,ehod- Is partly due To the system of dividing
ne farms into such very small parcels that
machine labor would be impracticabc. Whore \
more are q thousand contiguous farms. with an
ayernae area for each Of less than ten acres It
/. evident that hand labor alone can be used in
their cultivation. unless some cooperative
ornershp Of machinery could be arranged.
rysn then there would be endless disputes and
5i.ayreemonis IN it's management and 1t would
he nposshc to employ it satisfactorily But
besides this difficulty there is another. fully
as important. French peasants and French
farmers are cmincntly conservative. They are
satisfied TO 10 ON in the same way that their
torefaihcrs have always gone. Even when con
vnced by actual observation. that better re-
suits can BE- obtained by adopting some new
tlsa they rather prefer not To make tho at
,sup. They say that they know what to expect
| from their old methods whereas the new may
rromisc we'll at first and yet afterward de-
,siop such defects rs to bring disnstcr upon
| those who have adopted them. Nevertheless 1t
/. IN France. and very near Paris too. that |
found the nearest approach to pcfcction in
| farming that have seen in either Europe or
America. and more interesting illustration OF
scientific agriculture can hardly be imagined.
About twenty mites from Paris ON the Paris
LYONS and Mediterranean Railway. is Cor
bsl am the farm Of which ! speak is
short three miles distant from the lat
pr place. The farm is called lie Petit
B,urc and 1t has the River Seine on one
..le Of II and the railroad on the other.
N Paul Decuuville the eldest son OF the first
proprietor. Is the present manager Of the farm.
tui he will soon have the assistance OF his three
briheir work Mt the Polytechnaue. E'ole Cen
irle and E,olc dos NJ ines The land is sit
uaiel on an extensive plateau, and Is therefore
especially suitable 10 the style 81 farming pur-
sued Oy The late proprietOr VI. Armand Ocean
VILE. The Chateau Petit BourE WAS orig nally
ur residenc" oi Madnmc de Pompadour. Whom
ur Lyons Railway was surveyed. about thirty
years ago. the owner Of the chateau and park
was 50 i.sSu,ied nj the INVASION 81 MS prop
Fry by Tue ifon horse TINT ne sold the chateau
~ the Government rs site for luvenil" re-
trM school. and. after clearing the park Of its
timber. offered IL ON Lease for farming.
". Armand Decanville. although educated rs
so1n Obtained a iease Of the whole estate
amounting 20 about 625 acres To this he
added 10y lease or purchase OF the surround
ing farms Whenever occasion offered until now
here are about 300 acres under the
control ui the family The land being high
with insufficient natural water supply in many
seasons. VI. DscauNills erected pumping works
on large scal", and laid network 0f pipes for
artificial irrigation all over the property. The
height Of the plateau above the river enabled
him 10 drain on quickly any surplus rainfall.
while any deficiency WIS easily made good hN
his pumping works. lie also took advantage ui
every improvement in machinery, Introducing
English and American inventions whenever he
.uuid thereby economics labor The steam
plough was first attempted fifteen years ago.
tut il was not until after tho Exposition of lsif
.hat he definitely adopted 1t. lie chose AN
Enrlish invention. which is worked by two
stationary engin'T drawing the plough buck-
ward and forward across the field. Ii is very
simple. compact. and effective. and. considering
the amount Of work done. 1t il not heavy There
are twelve ploughshares set echelOs. so that
II has the Appearance Of u huge cultlvator In
tho shape of right-angied triangle. IN" shares
Oeiug set in the hypothenusc. Whenever there
has been an exhibition OF farm implement. in
iarls or IN any 81 the northern departments.
~ DecanNiile has always ,mni9, point %.
inviting the exhibitors To Ia Petit Bour- 10 lc-i
their machines. and in this way ne mas been
able 10 select the machinery best suited 10 ms
the McCormick seif-hniins reaper renders IL
probable tnnt thar machine viii also be adopted
on this model farm.
The estate Is divided into four separate de-
partments. The first Includes the iarmwork
the second consists Of the beet sugar manuiac-
tory tho pun ping works. and the gas works
tue third devoted 10 IN" quarry. Wnlrn II.
nevertheless. one Of the most profitable al M,
four. since fine quality Of grindstones and
millstones is produced; the fourth Includes tn,
iorges. repair shops, and the manulactory ui
freight tram cars. Of which great many are
used on the farm and also sold outside. The
managers Office communicates by telegraph
with the quarters OF each department ovcrsecr.
and other wires are run to different points on
ton Of the telephone NJ Paul DecanSille has
discussed the desirability of increasing the
number Of points Of telegraphic communica-
and { nrphablp feisnlnnrg will lp
placed in every field. so that Instant communi-
cation can he had with tho laborers. Hereto
lore system OF signals hns been in use. hut II
viii doubtless be superseded by the telephone.
The beet sugar distillery was one OF the trst
erected in Franco, and II has proved remarkably
successful. Al the present tlme very large
portion OF the farm is devoted 10 beet cultlva.
w24. hops are also E11%na .HsnsiSe d df
neu Tor any crop TO be u failure. The earth Is
never allowed TO rest. II is never faow. except
ior short period after harvest when II IL used
ilr pasture. The steam plOughs are always at
T. No portion Is left waste. There are no
fences no uncultivntcd hooks. II is divided
only by occasional drainage bitches. and the
crops grow close up To the edges. As soon as
one crop has been harvested and conveyed
are made Tor another. Ferr.llzers are thor
oughly spread and turned under. Other ma
new seed and before Mother Earth can feel That
one weight has been lited from her bosom. she
Is threatened with another. Everything j. dono
Hsltmatlcally ana rapidly, yrt without hhslc.
Lyery crop is treated by itself in such way
4at ultft u llttIe or nOthlnk lel VI 'lihuf". II
lay j. 10 he cut it is all done in one day when
Ne prospect Is fine. II rain Is threatened. an
tIia, ol workers rapidly places every straw
lhder waterproof covers and no harm is done.
AGAIN i il as rapidly spread and allowed 20
cure; Then, before any injury can happen 70 II.
u IS ioaded ~. run of To- the weigh yard, baled.
strapped, and stored. or else immediately sent
y De sold according 10 the state Of the market.
II Aishtiall seems likely 10 Interfere with the
proper gathering u any crop, electric lanterns
afe 50 placed as 10 light up the field, and the
WORK goes steadily on. Nature il made u bond
save. II she smiles on the farmers labors. she
+ allowed 10 do So without interference; but II
she attempts to Overturn his calculations by any
q tho usual methods by which she damages
cr0ps-stOrms. drought. rains. Ac.-she Is made
y stand aside while artificial aid Is given TO
then. j. II too dry Open the irrigation pipes.
aud sprinkle all the land with refreshing snow
trs morning AMI evening. Is II too wrtf Open
Nhr drains and hasten on Tho surplus water.
Ia an olegantly-krpt park, surrounded by
Hover gardens. stands tho family house, Ii IL
only ono story in height and covers great
deal Of ground. There is noguestonms the
good taste Of Tho occupants While comfort is
apparent in every part, thsre r. 10 lack 81 taste
iul ornamGntutiou. There is luxury without
Iro!usiOn. and elegance without waste. Mmr.
brcanyille IL said to be II lady Of fine education