Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-12
FARMING IN MEXICO.
sLovENLY AND STUPID METHODS IN
AGRICULTURE.
Finest Adobe ~ Trust Rspossd n
water-Peon= nnI Wooden Plows-A
Fine Opening for American In.
ventions and Skill
lcity of Mexico Cor. New York Post.

Fine Opening for American In
ventions and Skill
lefty of Mexico Cor New York Poss.]
The poverty of Mexico may b traced di-
rectly to the slovenly system Of farming
which is there SO universal The agricul-
turel resources Of the land are enormous, as
may be sufficiently proved from the fact
that not over one-fifth of the best land on
the great plateau Is under the pillow; yet
that one-fifth supports millions Of people
with style Of farming that in California
was utterly worthless and would produce
starvation in the best sections of New York
or Pennsylvania Vast tracts Of the finest
adobe soil on belt Of moro certain and
abundant rains than any part Of tho east
enjoys in summer lie yet unbroken and used
only for stock range In the dryer sections Of
the northern parts millions Of acres that would
raiss good crops in three years out Of five
and with good cultivation would raise
something in the other two, millions more
than that could be irrigated IL the water
were properly distributed. as in California,
instead Of being wasted, now lie in the same
way.
or cultivation the Mexican as q rule
ton Of the utility Of blowing is to scratch
up enough loose earth to cover the SEED. Oc-
casioually corn-field Is seen in which the
pillow may have been put once after the seed
has been sown. but in the great majority Of
fields the ground is never touched after
planting. Tho sole trust after planting Is re-
posed in water. II the rainfall 1, sufficient,
well enough. But II it does not rain enough
the ground is then drenched by irriga-
ton Of underditches By sufficient rainfall
the farmer in Mexico means enough to keep
the ground wet all the time. Last fall they
were complaining seriously about the dryest
season they ever had, yet the gauge showed
fall Of sixteen inches in the valley OF Mex
leo during the five growing months, more
than the best Of the eastern states get three
years out OF five. As tho Mexican average
is about twenty four inches with o max
imum Of thirty six, it is easy to understand
why they would think sixteen quite low.
But / did not see q corn-field south Of Zaca-
tecas that would not have made fair crop
if it had been decently put in and attended.
OF cultivation to keep the ground moist and
to loosen it so that the plant-roots may PEN
citrate it the Mexican never dreams
Nearly all of the blowing is done with
wooden plows made on the farms by the
poems, or Indian laborers. A stick Of hard
wood four or five inches In diameter is
sharpened at the end, which is sometimes
shod with iron. About the middle Of this
the beam is attacked and at the back end a
single handle. The beam has cross-piece
10 wbich the oren,s horns are dashed with raw
hide The poen then takes the handle in his
right hand and a long goad-stick in his left
The plow makes round-bottomed gutter in
the ground two or thre, inches deep. some
times deener if the GROUND is in good condi-
ton This gutter is about as straight as a
rut in New Jersey CLAW road
and varies about the same in depth
Tho RIDGE of hard earth that re-
mains between these cutters varies in
width from an inch TO four or five inches at
tho ton Upon this the seed is quite ant to be
dropped occasionally. but il is difficult to SEQ
how IL can do much worse there than in thu
furrow with It's hard bottom and sides II
is M wonder tho native feels comnelled In
drencb the Ground with watar from the
d;tcbss n for , veal or 90 the usuaI altar
noon showers sbould hold on Noth;ng hut
r,ontv ~ wa,or could r,;se . cron On land eo
t;jIoj and tho ,yopdar ia that ovan that
con a. a, m. .uonn+ ~ rroJuoo FRAT Il
ra;sad evsn Inv this miserable svstem il
amazing II Is doubtful IL anv mart of the
ITnitaa States can chow a besv;ar v;ald ~
co-n .rd ,yba.t 10 tho ocra for ! s.r;as 81
- e., ~, ;r ,ho.o ,,,-.;,,,s ,,h.-a
tha-o ;s Sr,eso;.nt r.;n
m. -, ;. .
ine o~hers anu suielinU Nnas.e =. '.e
SO. =. 1870 ao 1 1 "
auopU An N., n'uSnny, ou. '1ns se"
siany sen'uon "He setei %. 'oovi HAH
ooen VIC io,!ns =. e.s"ie.,e'' le,snei Nuo"S
=. any no.e :, ~ Use 'un . s.o on' " "n
su.heu o,ei. u.ee
my ios. 80 y, ar, 'uo p.., ~ .n ~
=, .uI 49, me-, . sno u''' a.a ,:, sa.,
nv 'ao;s pai'S, "nien .ney aio 4u:so nN ~
a. w :. ~ !. no, ~ A1u uP
H. ,,ha,.,,a. ~ sao,,, 80 ,,ah. t.;-
~, 60 usa !, Tha Isf. hama n,,,.. ~.
aver ~, FRO. for Tho ,oad ~ tho oYor
-, - IT, -, eS.,,o.. 81. -
rnonaco III ,,,o,. Nth ona hend E;rd;no
80 hen,,aS ,,v,n,.,ossar,. 81 o,, =, th.r,
,n;i;tot;na ora;nst b;s Tbs occos;on.l,x h.
cuts II on Tha Nov ~ corr., run. avarv
wnv but straight and even in dsntb and a.
II doss .von ,vorr. worL than tho oid
v,oo5., ono II i soon cost .s;da
7. saa,,s no hs,,.r 18th th. s,,,Lv,,ov
At Acambaro I saw about thirty Amsr;c,n
.nltv- nl,vs ali in line mon ona ranch nm
r;n, IN hl.ck .dobe .hort civ raoh, IT,
the rains had ceasad To make a furrov Of
.nv dantb naadad a ! l.ast fonr stopt horses
To zach Nov wa. attached n nair Of 5O0.
round cattI, and n Fat neon bimself load
Tor them reclinsd ln.nriouslv In the seat
IT,, 49,, e., m ,vro,,,d ~ T., h-o.a