The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-10-21
How French Raise Crons.

The News; In writing of a subject so
readers possible, makes 1t necessary
to omit much that would be of inter
est to certain classes. In this letter
| wish to call the attention Of the
farmer readers of The News to few
things which has made France one of
the wealthiest countries of which we
know, one of which is intelligent farm
ing. Here with land actually selling
all the way from $3.50 per acre for
land upon the ridges to 81 200 for the
best valley lands, and rents ranging
from $l2 to $2S per acre, yet most
farm crops known to Nebraska
farmer are but little higher in price
here than there. Oats can be bought
anywhere in France for 60 cents
bushel, potatoes running from 40 to
co cents. and the best flour at So
per hundred pounds. Here in this
place ! saw a carload of oats sold
yesterday for $3.50 per hundred kilos,
, exactly as cents per bushel. This is
the lowest price of which | know, but
i these oats were grown upon $500 land
and | have paid a higher price for
them in Nebraska, grown upon $50
land. In spite of these low prices
| here when compared with Nebraska
! prices, every farmer in France is a
banker, and all because of an intelli
genCe here employed in farming that
is wholly unknown to us. | saw 1876
bushels of oats per acre threshed from
one farm here, and ] find the general
yield to be from 80 to 1876 bushels per
acre. Before these oats were sown
q high priced garden crop was har-
vested from the same land and often
crop after harvest. Every farmer
expects a 5000 to $3.50 per acre crop,
and near the large cities | have talk
ed with farmers who produce as high
and all upon land less fertile by ma
ture than the soil of Nebraska.
In the department of Sarthe | care
fully examined one field that has been
cultivated every year since the year
S54, more than LOO years, and it is
producing more now than ever before
all the result of an intelligence Who'll.
| ly unknown to us.
Uses Hedges for Fences.
Nebraska farmers are taxed heavi-
ly in building and maintaining their
fences. Here they have better fences
than we do, and the cost is practical
ly nothing. This is done with hedges.
Three kinds of hedges in general use
are, locust, privet and hawthorne. The
former, our common honey locust that
viii grow anywhere in Nebraska, Is
making the best fence in use here, in
fact, the best fence / ever saw. Stall
lions of all ages run in pasture here,
the only fence being a locust hedge
1t not only stops the live stock but
there is no injuring from fences as
with us. Blackberries are grown in
| the line of the hedges and are now
beautiful sight. No space is wasted
| here, even the fence is made to pro-
duce.
In 1898 young French farmer of
% years and just married, rented a
small farm near this city of two hec-
tares-fiVe acres. He had no money
no farm tools, but he and his wife
grew the first crop by hand labor
alone. He paid 500 a year rent for
the five acres. The next year he had
| bought mare and cart. In 1896 he
bought the land for $4,000 Yester.
day he was in one of the cafes nego-
| in fA,
/ upon inquiry ] learned that he was
the owner, not only of his land, but of
| $4,000 worth of our American securi-
ties. This young man is now the ia
ther of seven children, the oldest son.
a boy of 16, being in England at a
school. This very fairly describes the
| success of the better class of French
| farmers, and explains in a measure
how the French people paid the Ger
man indemnity in 1871 in a way that
was surprise to all. 1t in a measure
explains to the inquiring mind the
basis of French professionalism
which no better or truer ever existed
This is evidenced by the fact that
no people are leaving France, and
when | ask them why, they are as
unit in replying, There is no better
place where we can CO.
The French people are neither Ca
ploiters nor promoters. In this / be-
live they would fail-but they are
producers, creators of new wealth, and
when once produced they know its
value, and know how to keep it.
Not Bad Road in France.
Good roads are an aid to good farm
ing, and such uniformly good roads
have never seen anywhere else The
roads are built and maintained by ex-
perts who do nothing else. In all my
| travels over the rural districts of
France / have yet to see the first
rut or other evidence of poor road.
The roads are macadam In structure,
and finished very smooth at the sur
face. The grades are as even as
those of our railroads, yet being slight
ly sleeper in places.
The roadbed of state railroads are
1 H..