St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-06-15
Railroad Building.

The condition of railroad business
throughout the Union is well illustrated
by the agreement entered into by the great
companies not to engage in competitive
combination with each other. Nothing did
more to in lure them last year than this
combination and some of the safest and
best lines seriously crippled themselves by
building roads not needed, and through
country with not sufficient business to sup
port them. This rivalry, particularly be-
tween those lines extending into the
sparsely settled West, resulted in much
premature road building. The great aim
of the companies seemed mileage rather
than business, and the result was gaost
disastrous in the way of earnings and divi-
dends.
The roads constructed in the South were
mainly legitimate that is, there were pop
ulation and business enough to justify
them ; and the superhuous and Improbable
construction was confined mainly to the
Territories and Pacific coast. 1t democrat
lied not only the companies which engaged
in this building, but others as we'll, for the
large quantity of new securities toated on
the stock market tended to force down
prices.
The Raiyoav Age, commenting upon the
decision of the great companies not to ex-
tend their lines, notes, strange to say, that
instead of stopping railroad construction it
seems to have had quite the contrary ef-
feet, as 666 new lines, with contemplated
mileage of So, 436 miles, have already been
projected since jan l. The heaviest build
ing proposed is in the South and North
west. In the former section no less than
1873 roads have been projected in these
months, with IL, S55 miles of work contem-
plated. The South seems to be decidedly
the favorite in railroad circles just now,
for of the 14,S1S miles under construction
or contract, 4444 are in the Southern and
472l in the Southwestern States, total OF
7165, or nearly one half of the mileage
under way in the whole country.
The experience of the past year seems to
have satisfied the railroads that it is better
policy to build their lines in the South,
7 where there is already population and some
business offers, than to extend them fur
Their into the Western wilds, where the
population and business do not yet exist,
but are expected. 0. Times Democrat.
How to Increase Vegetable Matter in
the Soil.
The amount of vegetable matter in the
soil may be increased by various methods.
One is by large applications of barn yard
manure, say so cords to the acre. But this
would be very expensive, and is out OF the
question in common farming. 1t may be
done by putting on peat or muck, when
these are near to the fields. But this in
wolves a considerable outlay for labor In
digging the peat and still larger expense
in carting it, whether it first pass through
the yards and stables, be carted to the
fields for composing or spreading upon
the surface to be plowed in. On some
farms this may be the cheaper method OF
supplying vegetable matter to the soil.
But on others the most economical
method is the raising of clover, to be fed
off upon the land or to turn in. If tor
of clover may be worth SO as fertilizer
the growing of the plant is cheap method
of improving the land. Two tons for the
first crop and ton for the second crop is
not an uncommon yield for land in gooc
heart. The roots of clover also add largely
to the vegetable matter in the soil. The
first crop may be pastured, waiting unit
the crop is in blossom, and then turning il
cattle enough to feed it off in three or foul
weeks. They should be kept constantly
upon the field, that the whole crop may
be returned to the soil. This will of course
help the second crop, which may be turned
in with the pillow soon afteri it is in blossom
If the equivalent of three tons of drieo
clover hay and one ton of roots have beer
grown to the acre, about $50 worth of ma
aure has been added to the SOIL and it has
i6oeen distributed more evenly than woulo
have been possible by any mi. .anical pro
cess. There has been no expense for cart
ing aud spreading peat, or for composing
On the contrary there has been the equiva
lent of two tons of clover hay consumed
upon the field, worth, as fodder, $24. Thi
will more than pay the cost of seed. o