The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1889-11-01
ruF MEXICAN N
he Live. In . Pitishie state OF Misery
aud Igncranee.

.'e
A Mexican places nj value upon hi
time. An American may have to pay
| him one dollar a day, a rich Mexican
only twenty-five cents. In so far he
has a certain value set upon his time,
but il it comes to a question OF
small amount of money or a great
amount of labor, the latter invariably
is chosen. An Eastern farmer when
planning a work OF improvement,
carefully calculates the cost. estimat'
Ing the YssAlus 81 HE time before decide
ing upon the matter. No such thing
is done by the Mexicans. lcould emit
merate many cases where ten tiInes
more expense has been Incurred In
actual labor than would have been
necessary if the project had been care
fully calculated and a small amount oil
money used.
Another popularity Of the Mexican
is his entire want Of foresight. 1t
would seem that he never thinks upon
any subject A thing can or can not
be raised accordingly as it has or has
not been raised in that vicinity before.
In one place it was believed that
potatoes could not be raised.
Some one had once tried to raise
them, and in irrigating had flooded
the ground aud rotted the potatoes.
In the same place it vas believed that
Strawberries could not be grown. The
reason for it was that in irrigating
HIuuuS "aUor was useu Il Inc MOWERS
were covered with a thin mud coating
after irrigation. No fertilization could
take place, hence no berries were
raised. Many similar follies are be-
licved in absolutely without reason.
What their %forefathers did they do,
and they are in consequence a very
impoverished race. No thought is
given to the morrow and no improve
ments are made. Fruit trees and
vines. although very prolific and profit
able, are rarely planted by the ordi-
nary Mexican. Wheat, beans, red
peppers and onions are planted in
quantities barely sufficient to last from
harvest to harvest.
In n part Of New Mexico where,
owing to the breaking of the head.
works OF their irrigating system, there
vas no water, and hence no crops for
season, the store-keeper gaps the
MeXicans seed beans for the next year
md took in payment one-half the crop. |
Without himself doing any work on the
'rop. This is a good illustration of
he character and condition OF the
Iiexicans. as well as the ~rascality of
he store-keeper.
In a short drive recently through
Northern New Mexico on the Rio
l saw several Mexicans plow-
ng, or rather scratching the ground
nth a forked stick. The primitive
less of their agriculture is startling.
he mortar and pestlc for grinding
he wheat, the hand sickle for har-
it. the forked stick for plow-
ng the ground-these are the farming
Implements of a large class of farmers.
Inc a hardly believe that he is in
be same continent and age with the
progressive Eastern agriculturist.
hey live in mud (''adobe') houses,
7lthout Il floor, with a mud and brush
uof. with their dogs and chickens,
nd often with their pigs. Swallows
uild their nests in the house, and
very thing betokens u lowness hardly
redible. Nermin of all sorts breed,
nd thrive in the dirt, and yet these
eople are unable to account for the
of smallpox and diphtheria
mong them. Such a state OF misery
nd ignorance is practically unknown
the East. 1t is rs shocking as it is
'explicable. -American Agriculturist
go
IIq7FN-a sDp0 ~ ra{oio,n. 4.