Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-06-21
NINE CROPS GROWN IN
ITALY WITH WATER
American Commission Tells Of ITiga-
ton and Intensified Farming
in Italy,

There is an American commission of
agriculture touring abroad. They are
learning things. The following report
from Milan, Italy should be of partic-
ular interest to all where irrigation is
used. In Italy it has been demonstrated
that with water and judieious and in
genious fertilization, poor land can be
made to produce a more than favorable
balance of trade.
The article follows
Milan, Italy, June lon a dry and
gravelly soil farmers of this district
harvest as many as nine forage crops
in a single year. The secret of the ex-
treme fertility of this region lies in the
system of irrigation which was shown
to the Americans.
In the days when Milan was power
full independent power, the victories of
the Milanese troops were celebrated not
by statues, but by the more sensible
idea of building canals or irrigating
systems. As a consequence the cOun-
try about this city is honeycombed with
irrigation bitches. About twenty year
ago, a plant was erected by the govern
ment to carry the sewage of the city
into these bitches. From the main ca
mails the sewage charged water is car
ried through the irrigating bitches into
the fields.
This water spreads thinly over the
fields and since it has a comparatively
high temperature the fields are kept
green and productive for all except
about 40 days of the year, despite the
fact that the winters are comparatively
severe. The heavy forage crop which
this system makes possible is respon'
sible for the great development of the
dairy industry of this district. Large
quantities of cheese and condensed milk
are exported each year to countrie:
which have better natural facilities fol
dairy products than the country about
Milan.
Even the street sweepings are used tC
increase the productivity of the neigh
boring farms. Bones and other refuse
matter of a similar character are useC
in the manufacture of fertilizers, anG
the manure is sold to farmers engaged
in intensive agriculture, principally il
raising silk worms. The fertilizer sales
are insufficient to meet the expenses
of operating the system. The cost bal
ance is made up through taxes.
Abundant labor is needed to obtai1
the agricultural results which the sta
tistics of this district show. But pro
gressive methods are always depended
upon. American farm machinery is FIRE
quently seen by the American visitor
to Northern Italy. Where such inten
sive cultivation is practiced it is profit
able to use large quantities of fertiliz
ers and manure. To the south of MilaI
where most of the irrigated lands ar,
situated the farms are about $50 acres
The principal industry of these farms i
, dairying, the herds averaging from lOI
to $50 cows. The milk is used in chees
: making chiefly. The American commits
sioners were shown some excellent type
OF cooperative dairies which are pecu
liarly fitted to the type of farmer il
, that district who cannot profitabl,
, market his product alone, as his farm j
on too small scale.
The fact must not be lost sight o
that the Italian farmers are progres
sing, and that their progress is base,
on thrift. The lesson learned by tn
: American commission in Italy has bee
: lesson in industry and thrift.