Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-04-28

re ras-1a Cssnssy naAtag aaa1SU1s1As

AW0y /
- fssasssM
Among the formidable rtvals to
the United States In the wheat in
dustrY In0ia holds q high place; ono
that the introduction Of modern ma
:hinery and commercial facilities will,
doubtlesa In the course Of time
render still dangerous The
area under cultivation in the season
or 1901 was reported at 90, 500. 600 :
ares, and the Weld a,S42, 600 tons
This, too, In the face OF isadyantages
that, to our own notions, would
iender the industry almost imprac.
ticable.
Tho extent Of this most interesting
country IL, In round numbers, about
/, 800 by 1900 miles, equaling the
United States east OF the Mississippi
River. or this the northwest prov
inces, comprising over 100, 600 square
miles, are the best adapted to wheat
culture, but little being raised south
OF the 25th parallel.
The chief advantages to the wheat
raisers Of India are the climate and
the cheap labor. The former Is
claimed TO be the most favorable In
the world for agricultural produces,
the seasons being 30 arranged that
two train crops can be grown each
year. in addition to an intermediate
season for fruit, for vegetables, and
sugar zane. The first grain seasoD
begins about the middle Of June, the
crop then sOwn being harvested IN
September and October, and followed
by another that, in4urn, Is ready for
the sickle in March and April. From
.his harvest until June Is tho dry
season, during which the farmer
turns his attention mainly from the
field crops to his garden produce.
These changes OF season are so grad
ual that there Is no attendant loss In
| their transition, and they are very
regular in their passage. The heat
and moisture deconpose all vegetable
and animal refuse, giving the agrl-
c~ulturist the benefit OF immediate re.
turns for all fertilizers
The average native OF India IS far
too pool to import or buy fertilizer or
to own the requisite amount OF stock
to keep his land In its normal con-
dition. Nature and his own instincts
of practical economy here ONE to
his assistance and render easy what
the majority OF our American farmers
would probably regard as an impossi-
bility. Every form Of fertilizers OF
the least value is utilized, regardless
OF the labor involved, and the natural
provisions of the atmosphere and
climate are drawn upon to the ut
most.
There Is none of the hurry and halt
preparation e there that the use
OF machinery Is so apt to introduce.
Their plOws are OF the rudest con-
struction, but before the field Is
finished, it Is put In perfect condi-
tion for the seed. Eight or ten
times blowing for each crop is per-
haps the rule, though twenty Is not
uncommon, and ever thirty some
times heard OF. The result is an ex-
posture Of earth many times to the
action Of the atmosphere (which BY
the way, Is always more or less laden
with plant food, and especially 80 In
hot climates(, and it's conversion into
a seed bed that cnuld hardly be sur.
passed.
The air of India, too, is filled with
myriads Of insects, many visible. in
tlnitely more invisible to the naked
eye. As surely as the air itself Il
turned into and mixed with thu
ground, time after time, Is its con
slant load of animal life deposited
To the cheapness Of labor which makes
such thoroughness possible, nature
gives much unseen aid, thus making !
. possible to produce fair haryests on
soil Of which 1t Is said that II takel
to Minnesota and subjected to thu
usual treatment Of wheat land there
1t would hardly be worth cultivating
and that. on the other hand, the Min
nesota soil, II introduced into India
could all be sold as o fertilizer.
81 Such are the natural advantage
: and drawbacks Of wheat culture IL
India; the disadvantage in the sol
being apparently counterbalanced b
. the superior seasons and climate. q
: the artificial appliances I will nov
Q speak, prefacing the description will
Y the remark that among them al
9 there ia hardly one but would be cor
sidered a complete drawback to sue
cessful culture In this country. Ye
1t Ia possible that the very crudenes
8 OF the implements used FORMS abov
8 all else, an inducement to such
method of thoroughness In culture a
d alone makes the effort of n avail
o 1t Is not improbable that the Intro
q duction OF modern machinery int
the hands OF these primitive, uncu
tured people, in their present cond
+ tion and circumstances, would thwal
Q the very purposes it would be II
tended to serye-NOrthwestern Mi