The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1896-02-29

ond then clover, and may certainly be
improved from it's own resources by
feeding its product on the land or by
turning under green manures." Is not
that q somewhat singular chancet
Yet in the main it is true. And, to
to me is, II. does not create an excite.
ment. The discovery of gold in
California is nothing to compare with
1t. 1t is applicable almost anywhere.
Yet, on the whole, there is but feeble
scramble to obtain its rich offerings.
The Office of the legume is yet to realize
the grand intention of its Creator-to
refill again the world with fruitful
soil. Its failure of appreciation in tho
past is only to be regarded in the light
of ignorance of it's ability. Its
''feebly cropping about" stage is past.
Its ultimate victory will not be acci-
dental. The past has in limited way
demonstrated it's vitality and utility.
The present is proving it's elasticity and
capabilities. The future shall behold
its triumph. Is your land poor and
have you never known the 'ssweets'' Of
q reasonable wealth or having known,
lost, and would gladly recover it again
II you could? The legume is the ''open
sesame" 1t is not a newborn verdure
staying briefly. but tried. It will be
SO to speak, only too glad to help you
If you give it proper conditions and
Persevere and concentrate. Will you
sit down and be ''snowed UNDER"
wailing for conditions to change?
Times have changed. Conditions
soils are being changed under tho
renovating influence of leguminous
plants. When it comes to measuring
fcrti1izing strength for cost we find the
legume wagging the better agricu lture
north and south. What nature has
n Oh 4 L.
under like circumstances. Do not
hesitate to employee legumes for feed
ing soil and feeding animals. Expert
ence has shown that they can feed
both in the most economical manner
and with the best results. It will
surely pay you to test them next
spring. Lest my communication prove
too long I will defer the considera ton
of the corn crop as following clover
for another article-Southern Farm.
Did You Ever Look at It This Way9
If one hires a farm hand by the
month, and keeps him idle three or
four months in the year, people would
make uncomplimen tary remarks about
"a fool and his money!" etc., and if he
should explain that a long rest would
do the laborer good; that he would
thereby produce more when he did
work: that his general health required
and that he only hired him t., pillow
corn, and did not know whether he
could feed pigs, or dig potatoes. would
that mend the matter any? Would not
his neighbors seriously consider the
OF an inquirendo de IL natico?
And yet these same neighbors-or some
of them-do the same thing by substi-
tuting their land for the farm hand.
They have fertile fields, but they lay
Idle for four or five months during the
year. They do not reflect that it is just
as bad economy to keep idle land, on
which taxes must be paid, as to keep
idle men whose wages must be paid.
True, both the land and the man may
be the better for little rest. But the
man does not take to his bed to rest,
but goes hunting and fishing, and thus
by the stimulant of recreation pre-
pares himself for more productive Ia
Dor. The field, when not producing,
should be preparing for production by
the recreation of being plowed, har-
rowed, drained or fertilized, as occa.
sion may require. Why should a piece
of good, healthy ground lay around
idle all winter and spring for the pur-
toes in the summer and fall, any more
than the laborer should lazy around
all the first part of the year waiting to
dig them? While the laborer is idle his
wages must be paid; while the land is
idle taxes are not. Why not keep both
man and land busy? It is bad economy
to keep them otherwise.-Farm and
Ranch.