Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-01-17
Wheat Farming and Railroad Travel in
India.

Mr. l. L. Hauser, of Bareilly, India, but
now in America, gave a reporter of the
Chicago Tribune the following results of
his observations during a long Fife In
India
When | went to India | was familiar
i'll American methods of farming found
Che people there using much the same
primitive tools and methods they had been
using for centufibs. ! thought ! could
teach them something about farming,
have learned since that | could not. The
traditions of one thousand years were
founded on correct principles. 1t may do
here to use wide plows and pillow the ground
but once, but would not there The
ground is plowed thirty times, and | be-
lieve it is that which gives it wonderful
vitality. The same land which was rails
ing wheat one thousand years ago still
raises it, and it has never been strengthen
ed by fertilizers. Theer is philosophy in
their way of farming. Every time the
ground is turned over it is enriched from
the atmosphere. IL seems strange that
India can compete with this country in
wheat raising. The ground must be
plowed thirty times and then irrigated,
and after all that the average of the crop
is but seventeen bushels to the acre. But
any amount of labor can be had at 81 20
a month for each man. The sowing is lust
BEGINNING there now. The harvest is in
March. American farmers need have but
little fear of India competition. A great
many manufactures are being introduced
there now. and these will greatly benefit
the condition of the people. India will
consume all that she can raise as soon as
the people can pay for 1t. There are now
10000, 600 people VINO do not have enough
to eat. If their condition Is improved so
they can earn enough to buy what they
need to eat there will be nothingleft to ex-
port.
There is something in the above that is
worth while for the American farmer to
think over The blowing in India IS done
with little bull hitched TO forked stick
1t Is simply surface scratching and about
the equivalent of narrowing with a spring
toothed. Acme, or disc harrow. 1t does
not disturb the under soil, much less the
sub-soil. Place alongside of this prao-
tice and Its results the fact brought out by
the most thorough analyses of Gilbert.
Lawes and others, that two-thirds of the
nitrogen upon which wheat depends is
In the upper three inches, and you have
an explanation Of the Hindoo's success,
dicV VI Siic sAIVAA- HACltAtAAeC tlIHiA balr
progressive American farmer. at least in
the west. has for shallow blowing. We
formerly regarded it as the vilest agricul-
turai heresy to say aught against deep
blowing, but we have changed our opinion,
at least,for western soils
Speaking of the railway system, Mr.
Hauser says:
India has railway system which
America might well adopt When / left
india. travelled over a thousand miles on
India railways. | had a private COM
partment, with bath and every luxury that
the best roads here furnish. The charge
for this ride was $3.50. about what the
extra sleeping car would be here. The
roads are nearly all owned by the GoTe--l-
ment. When a charter is granted to
build a road it Is always with the
provision that the Government may at
any time buy the property. Every item
of the construction Is supervised by the
state, and reports of the operations have
to be made In detail every week In re-
return for this the Government guarantees