The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-06-06

| in its endeavor TO build great ag-
riculture. Our sessions in Florence
resulted in some very useful informa.
tion, one point especially marked is
| the method OF extending what are
called open accounts to the farmers
as well as to the business men. Az
In Rome we did not have time to see
the beautiful works of art and cul.
ture that are here. We had two
hours In the most wonderful art gal
lery in the world so you can imagine
the Impressions We would get from
such a hurried study. Several of us
however, did get six or eight miles
out in the country and observe the
people in action. One place visited
has been farmed by the same family
for over 800 years, and they have
no desire to go to America. The peo-
pie that we come In contact with
are very different class from most
of those Italians we have with us at
home Those come. mostly from south
ern Italy and are in poorer circum-
stances.
The farms visited are quite up to
date. The feed is cut by machines
run by electricity and In this way
the water Is pumped. Wheat averages
25 to 80 bushels per acre. Large
crops of vegetables are grown. Labor
is cheap thus good profits result. We
we're entertained at the city hall by
the Mayor at s p. m. This hall was
built in the 18th century and is ia
excellent condition. A very impres.
siye observation all over Italy is the
permanent character of their build
ings, roads and walls. When once
done they are done for ages. We
have not seen frame building or
single place where there has been
a fire. We left Florence at $3.50 a.
M. Friday, for the different parts OF
Italy to be visited by the three dif-
ferent groups which will again meet
in Venice Monday. The district out
OF Florence is very beautiful ana
highly cultivated Every particle OF
land Is utilized snd every Bit OF
manure saved They sweep the pixies
twice week and apply the manure
the uniform neatness of the farms.
thus collected We are impressed by
AS we climbed higher and higher on
the Alpines We noted more attention
given to fruit culture, until the mum.
erous tunnels cut out further obser-
vatiOn. Arriving at Bologna at 10
o'clock we were again met by the
city officials who took us directly to
the Savings and Cooperative Banks
and gave us a full and detailed ac.
count of their workings. We were
then entertained at lunch and at din.
ner in the evening. In the afternoon
we were taken in automobiles for
visit covering three large coop
eratiye farms. in all a ride of forty
miles. One farm of $500 acres was
as fine a farm as could be seen any.
where. Hundreds OF acres of wheat
looked good enough to yield forty
bushels to the acre. They were
growing wheat, oats. hemp, alfalfa,
rice and some corn besides grapes.
Large dairy interests are maintained.
Oxen are used quite extensively as
Is the custom throughout most of the
farming districts of Italy. AT one
barn "A head were lined up for us
and not one of them weighed less
than 1900 pounds, and from that up
to 2200 pounds each The cows aver
aged about 26 to q pounds OF milk
Gaily. They will follow a four.years'
system of rotating crops. They plow
20 to "a inches deep once in this ro.
tation. Agriculture has made more
improvements In the last 90 years
since Alfalfa was introduced than in
two centuries before. Bologona IL
the home OF the original Bologna
s"usuSc ouh tHey say NOW tHdt tue
English pig has spoiled It, 1t is
great hemp district and the seat of
the Oldest university In the owrld.
At one time they had 10000 students
here.
Sunday we visited Reggie, the
great center OF cooperation of Italy.
Here they have cooperative rail-
road, cooperative dairies. coopera.
tive wine cellars, cooperative banks,
cooperative stores and municipal
owned institutions, After making a
survey OF these institutions we left
on a late train for Venice where the
other parties joined us during the
night
We have learned new way to
spell hospitality. l. e. Italy"
Briefly summed up the points We
visited represent the following.