The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-28
ITALIAN WORKERS
INNORTH CAROLINA
lcon'inued From FIRST page.)
small and had to be used In buyI1r
the necessities OF life. '''S
1rOgrrss Maj.

'lueu rom First Page.)
small and had to be used In bU,i0-
the necessities OF life ''S
frogrcss Made.
:, IN me whole the progress made ~.
,e eolonists has been remarksb,e
~ OF ne old settlers ana all excen,
one or Two Of the families wbo
come to the colony within tbo .,es ''ar :
t1's nave paid for their land r,ossess
SUBSTANTIAL buildings good orcbord.
una Vineyards ami many OF then, ,,,,
auueu 10 their original purchas.a
hey nave made considerable lnprovc.
iheht on the methods of ar-lc,,ltur.
cthpioyed oy the farmers in THIS Sec
land "N"'''' "a
II has always been the custom q,
the native mountaineer farrars -
clear tract OF land. and By the ,d
H'ion OF commercial fertilize- serure
as many crops from II as possible be-
lore the soil has been washer away.
4hey then clear more land Bv thor
ouRh cultivation and by employing In-
teillsent means to prevent washine as
wel as by planting more crops which
aud humus to tho soil. the production
per acre has beer increased and tne
natural fertility conserved and in-
creased on the farms operated by I'M
migrant farmers. In some Instances
not more than three to I'VE bushels Of
"heat were made on new land. while
now the same land viii yield from
IL to Is bushels per acre.
fnrms and Agricultural Conditions
The farms OF the Italians are small
ranging in size from 80 to l5O acres.
The average farm is about so acrcs
Less than so per cent Of the land IS
under cultivation The country is 80
rough that only small part OF the
land IS tillable and this rugcedness
also precludes the use of improved
farm machinery.
The native farmers ara all one or
two horse farmers. and practically all
land 's prepared and cultivated with
email one-horse plowa II was formerly
the practice to break the land TO an
average depth Of to inches. and
very shallow blowing is still their rule:
this method is frequently responsible
for the small yields Tho Immigrant
farmers cultivate fewer acres. pillow
more deeply. prepare th4lr soil more
thoroughly. and diversity their crops
to greater extent
The crops occupying the greater part
of each farm are wheat and corn. oats
have been grown for only few yea rs
by the colonsts and the yield is fair
The whole of this crop is used on the
farm. a greater part being fed I'M
thrashed, In the sheaf
The colonists have been fairly sue
cessful In grape culture. owing to tho
abrupt changes in temperature In the
spring and late frosts. however the
crop is often Killed or seriously dam
aged. None of the grapes are sold
for table use. because of poor market
facilities. Each farmer turns his
grapes into wine. and when the crop
Is abundant has some wine for sale.
Up-to-Date Farming.
The colonists raise great many COW
peas. which. as rule. follow both
wheat and oats as a second crop If
grown for seed. they are planted in
drills and plowed once or twice and
the pods picked off. but If planted for
hay they are usually sowed broadcast
In either case the roots add a great
deal or fertility to the soil Rye is
| used on a small scale by some for green
manuring. 1t Is the practice OF tho
italian farmers TO improve the soil by
more systematic methods OF crop ro-
I tation and by use OF the barnyard
manure rather than to add commercial
fertilizer to stimulate the soil
The avertGe Immigrant farmer rarely
cultivatcs more than Is to 20 acres.
and from this a good living Is provided
| for the family. and sufficient hay and
grain are raised TO furnish feed for the
| live stock kept-usuany one horse.
from one to three cows and few
hogs. Usually each farmer sells a
few bushels of wheat or corn, or both,
| and some Irish potatoes. Each year
| from one to three hogs and about the
samo number of cattle are marketed.
! In this way money is provided fol
taxcs. clothing and other necessities
which have to be bought for cash.
Homes and Mills.
All houses built by the Italians with
| IN recent years nrc modern In structure
| with from four to six rooms. The