The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-02-11
INDIANA FARMING SYSTEM.
THE NECESSITY OF a ReFoamA1roN.
A Practical Paper by . Cosmopolitan
Some General Farm Hints-Hlnts
About breakfast and Budget
OF Valuable Recipes.

Ibc tllAlt hhc iiON tOAhO Nhch tic
ers OF Indiana should shake themselves
loose from the letters of oldtimeism, if we
may coin a word to express our meaning
that is, they should seek some other
means of making their farming more
profitable than il has been of late years,
and not content themselves with tamely
following out year after year the same sys-
TEN that they and their fOrefathers before
them have followed, the profits from which
have become more and more precarious,
often afiording but scant remuneration for
their unceasing toll, for farmers work
is never finished; he can never say, we'll
all my work is over for the next few
weeks or days and can take a vacation.
No, there is no vacation for farmer; each
day brings its own task; there is always
some work to be pushed.
What are the main causes which have
led to this condition of affairs amongst
our farmers? Well they are many, but
the principal ones are: The lands under
cultivation are becoming unable to grow
crops without the aid of artificial or farm
yard manure; second, the unfavOra-
BILE lessons which are becoming
80 frequent of late years, due
as many believe, TO the enormous
extent of timber lands cleared every
year by AK and bv fire, which has been
proven beyond all doubt TO be the cause
of droughts and floOds-One almost as I'M
desirable as the other. ~ The cOmpeti-
ton of the East Indies and other countries
Russia more particularly-in the pro-
duction of wheat and corn for the Euro
pean markets. These are, we believe, the
three greatest opponents to the prosperity
of our farmers. 1t would be well to call
your readers attention here to what has
been done in France and the East Indies
for the protection of their forests, and
which has had, particularly in the case OF
the former country, such a beneficial eff
feet upon the seasons, Ia their relation TO
successful agriculture.
1t was found in certain districts in
France, where there had been wholesale
destruction of forests-the timber being
used for fuel, for making charcoal, and Tor
building and manufacturing purposes
that the seasons which before had been so
suitable for agricultural purposes had be-
come entirely changed, the most notable
feature OF such changes being the almost
entire absence, not only of rainfall, but OF
ali moisture, during the summer months.
The government, seeing the necessity for
interference on its part, In order to
prevent what had hitherto been
some OF the best land in France
for the growing of crops-and France
is above all other countries devoted
TO the cultivation of the sOil-becoming
almost worthless framed laws for not
only the reforresting OF the denuded lands,
but also for the care of the standing TIM
Der of the country. The substance of
these laws was to the effect that the
lands were to be repIanted which had
been cut down, and this applied not only
to the state forests (the state owns about
one-thiTd of all the forest lands, but to
private property also; and for every tree
to be hereafter cut down young tree was
to replace ito be planted. Not only
were crops ruined by droughts and floods,
but it was found that the soil from the
hill-slopes and valleys was IN many
instances washed away by the transforms
and floods. The rivers. too, were subject
TO sudden overhOwings OF their banks,
causing great destruction to property of
all kinds. 1t was in 1860 that the laws
now governing the care of the forest lands
were promulgated, though long before
that they were subject to state supervis-
ion, but still the destruction had cOntin-
ued and further legislation was deemed
necessary Since then there has been ex-
tensive planting-principall in the south
ern parts of France-particular attention
being paid to the planting OF hill-slopes,
and about the headquarters OF some of the
rivers whose overtiowings were attributed
to the defOresting OF the districts from
which they took their rise Even in the
.rfu Of - 81
that the reforesting had already
produced most benifcent climatic
changes. In the case of one river,
in particular, called the Durance,
which was formerly the most dangerous
in the country from the destruction caused
by its sudden and frequent oyertiowing of
its banks, it has now, owing to judicious
planting at it's head-waters and along its
banks, entirely lost its former reputation,
and IN 1874, when other rivers were doing
so much damage to property, owing to
the great floods caused by their overflow
ing their banks. this river gave no cause
for anxiety. In the East Indies for
centuries the most wanton destruction of
forests had taken place, large tracts had
become arid wastes owing 10 the lack OF
rainfall, and even in districts where the
evils of decreasing had not become SO
provoked, yet frequent QrouRntS, which
caused terrible famine amongst the
inhabitants owing to the failure OF their
crops, decimated them again and again.
until in 1864 hegovernmento of India took
the forests under its control and formed
special department with an inspector
general of forests. 1t also founded
college for the special education of young
men in forestry. Not only did it I'M
dertake the care and management of all
within the boundaries OF British India,
but to save the many splendid forests
situated in the territories Of native states,
governed by native rulers, from destruc-
ton it leased these forests for long
terms OF years, paying annually fixed
rent for the same. Not only has the gov
eminent succeeded in preserving the then
existing forest lands, and is rapidly re-
foresting such districts as had
suffered most by the barring of the
lands originally covered with trees, but it
has made it a source of income from the
profits obtained by sales OF timber-fre-
wood, etc, though each year there is
a large SUN expended upon improvements
the shape of roads and fences. What
with irrigation and reforestng, immense
tracts of land in portions OF India, that
were almost valueless, supporting a sparse
population of famine-ridden people, are
now as fertile as any in that country,
growing splendid crops rendering famine
impossible, or at least improbable. We