The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-06-30
Good VS.. Bad lInsbaRdry.

10 NClt w wv ~ 49, l
England:
eIn a recent conversation with Mi,
II. c.. Burleigh, who, as is already
known TO our readers, spent con-
siderable portion of the past year
among the English farmers, he spoke
of the great contrast bet 7een English
and American agriculture, and the
comparison of the two systems is
not at all in our favor. Indeed, the
difference is so great that the most
casual observer could not fail to no
tice it, and to a man of Mr.. Burleigh's
experience in farming, the contrast
must have been indeed marked
Careless farming, at the present time,
NAV be said to be trait peculiar to
the American farmer--a trait which
foreigners at once notice when visit
ing us, and one which they dc not
hesitate to speak and write about on
their return home.
England is small in area, but'con-
tains an immense population, which
is largely supported, in favorable
seasons, by the products of her soil,
and in order to effect this not foot
of land is allowed to lay waste, but
each and every portion is laid under
contribution to assist in feeding the
vast multitude of the population.
Every bushel of grain and roots, and
everything beside that the soil is Ca
pable of producing, is laboriously and
patiently drawn out, and no means of
replenishing and enriching the soil is
left neglected. How strongly does
this differ from the system of the
American farmer! Not only square
feet, but square rods and even square
acres, are found on almost every
farm, which produce little or nothing,
and much of that which is cultivated
does not produce half of what it is
capable of producing with proper
fertilization and clean cultivation.
In English agriculture there is a
systematic rotation of crops which
occupies several years, while but lit
tie attention is paid to this important
matter in this country. The same
kind Of crop is often found growing
here upon tile same field for severa
wears in succession, and when at
tempts at rotation are made they arr
seldom conducted in even an approx
imately scientific manner In SOM
ofthe densely populated countries o
Europe soil is actually carried from
the low grounds and placed upo'
lodges to form soil for cultivation
while in New England, even in TIL
oldest and best cultivated portions
acres and acres are allowed to remai
comparatively unproductive. lima,
be answered that we are not oblige
to resort to such clean and careful
system of agriculture, on account Q
the large extent of our arabic land
and our comparatively sparse popr
lation, all Of which is true enough
but this can be no excuse for loos
and slipshoe farming. Too man
farmers are DESTROYS of continual
extending their territory until the
actually become Gland poor" Ian
which pays no profit is only damae
to the farmer, because it must pa
taxes, and annually adds so much
the wrong side of the ledger. I'll
farmer who undertakes to cultiyal
more land than he can cultivate we
is obliged to go over it in slipsho
manner, and the net profit of his |.
Dor is greatly reduced thereby.
A prevalent fault with America
farming, and one about which to
much cannot be said, is the failure
raise Upon a given area what the so
is capable of producing, and the el
tire system is generally at fault
The land is rarely we'll plowe
scarcely ever we'll fertilized and q
most never cieanly cultivated, an
the result is that not more than ha
a crop is generally realized. Und
the stimulus of certain special pr
miums offered last year, some vel
fine crops OF wheat and corn we
produced in this State, and does al
one suppose that the premium whe
and corn cost any more per bush
to the producer than an ordina'
crop would have cost2 We have
idea that it cost as much, and Il
persons who prodcced these fiji
crops were the gamers by their e
forts, leaving the premiums they +
cciytd ont of the question; and .