The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-31

end of the last century the peasants of
France have nearly doubled both the area
under wheat and the product per acre. so
that while the increase of population has
been less than 50 per cent, the wheat pro-
duction has increased 400 per cent, and
that in spite of taxation equal TO A per
cent. on gross returns. In 1870, with q
population of twenty-seven millions and
9,SS4.000 acres under cultivation. France
produced 1880, 900 bushels; IN 1888, with
3S, 100000 OF population. there were II, 1885,
600 acres and product of 31l SIS, 900
bushels.
While the French thirty years ago con-
sidered twenty-five bushels to the acre q
good crop, by improved methods they have
brought the same soil up to an average of
thirty-three bushels, and occasionally in
the best soils they reach ffty-fye bushels
and upward. In Hesse they are not sstis-
fed with less than thirty-seven bushels for
an average crop, and in the north of France
many farms yield year after year from
fifty-five to sixty-eight bushels to the acre.
And it has been clearly established that by
certain processes. which would be certain
of adoption if population should show
signs OF pressing the food limit, the present
average can be increased with certainty to
the extent of rs per cent. These processes
include the selection of seeds, sowing in
rows, and proper manuring.
A striking example of agricultural possi-
bilities in the face of great difficulties is re-
ported from the district of Safiilare, in
East Flanders. This is case to which the
attention OF Washington farmers is partic-
ularly invited. 1t has $1,000 acres of nat
urally unproductive, but easily cultivated
sandy soil, which has to nourish popula
ton OF 30 coo. all OF whom live by agricul-
ture, which would be about equal to pop
ulation of forty millions for this state
These people not only grow their own
food. but export farm products and pay
rents to the amount of SIS TO $25 an acre.
By the thoroughness of their cultivation
their regular crops from this comparatively
inferior land are from four to six times as
large as are taken from the rich lands of
Georgia, Texas and Illinois, and on this
cereals, fax and potatoes-they keep TO-.
100 cattle, $500 sheep, 1875 horses and
$3.50 swine. Instances are cited by this
writer of n to Ito tons per acre of beets in
England and France as result of heavy
manuring and thorough culture Of good
soils.
But the most astounding revelations re-
late to the effects of irrigation In the mea-
dows of the Vaucluse. Vosges. ETC., where
on an ungrateful soil the crop is quad
rupled and 6 tons to the acre is the rule.
By means of irrigation in favored districts
an income of $16 to $4s has been increased
to return OF $120 to $3.50. From these and
other statistics as to the results of inten-
sive culture in market gardening and small
fruits it is apparent that the state of Wash
ington, equalIing the best results that have
been attained elsewhere, and generally I'M
der less favorable conditions than are at
tainable IN this state, could abundantly
supply one-half the population of the
United States, and the arabic land of Texas,
thoroughly cultivated. could suppiy the
present population of the civilized world
with all of their breadstuffs.