Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-07-29
ESTABLISHED 1866
FARMING In FRANCE
Modern Farming Implements Are
Not Used.
FRENCHIE FAR BEHIND The Times
Four Wheeled Wagons Almost un-
known-Horse Meat Is Not Such Bad
Eating-Rain Does Not Interfere
With Farm Work-cattle More
Popular Than Horses and Mules.


Jf the average French farmer should
come to York county and inspect the
agricultural methods pursued here, his
eyes would open wide with wonder
and amazement. Ny eyes certainly
opened wide when. a year ago, hao
my first opportunity Of giving the
methods of the French farmer the
once over. A wagon drawn ny oxen
coming through the streets of York
willie would prove quite curiosity; but
not more so than a wagon drawn by
a couple Of fine horses or mules COM
ing through the streets Of La Pallice or
any other Of the average French vii
lagos. Buggies and four wheeled vehl-
cles Of all kinds were almost unknown
to the French people in the rural dis
tricts until the coming of the American
troops. One sees hundreds Of cumber-
some two wheeled carts, the wheels
eight feet in diameter and the body
built of AKA; drawn by poor, measly
looking horses or mules or, in most
cases, oxen, which from their pitiful
condition would leave one with the
impression that the animals should
be riding in the carts in view Of their
weakened state instead Of attempting
to draw them.
The Frenchman does not take the
same good care of his stock that the
American does. The American So
ciety for the Prevention Of Cruelty to
animals could do lot Of mighty good
missionary work in France in this re-
gard, and there is no question Of the
fact that the society's labors would be
much more valuable over there than
here. Horses and mules and oxen and
dogs and other beasts of burden, and
the list could 60 on to include goats.
Even the mich cows have hard time
of it. Poorly fed, they are required
to draw heavy loads from early morn
ing until late at night and seven days
in the week at that.
When the Frenchman realizes that
the days Of his horse or mule as a
beast of burden are finally numbered;
when the hard worked animal reach
es that point in its tortured existence
where it is only a question Of few
days until the end comes, the French
man very humanely takes an axe or
knife or other implement and kills 1t.
The poor beasts usefulness is at an
end when that occurs, you say. Well,
hardly. The carcass is turned over to
the butcher who carefully carves it
into steak and roasts and the like just
as our butchers do cows. Then the
meat Is offered to the French at so
much per pound, just as other meat is
offered.
It isn't such bad eating. I have tried
quite bit Of 1t myself and while 1t is
not to be compared with real sirloin or
porterhouse steak or pork or anything
like that, 1t isn't so bad. have eaten
tough beef steak that wasn't as good
as some Of this horse and mule meat.
Such meat is held in esteem by the
French people, because of long custom,
l guess. I have heard some Of them
say that they really prefer 1t to beef
steak To tell the truth were choice
piece Of it put on your table beside a
hardly tell the difference, the season.
ing and the cooking and all other
things being equal.
Dogs are very much in use as beasts
80 IL, rrornh on
in Belgium. 1t Is a common sight to
see French women from the rural dis
tricts coming into the towns and viii
lagos in the morning bringing in their
dairy products or the products OF their
truck farms on small, two-wheel
push cart, probably by dog securely
harnessed underneath. The dog which
does most of the pushing is guided by
means of the handle on the cart as
the case might be.
Mr. Henry Ford and the rest Of the
builders Of the farm tractors have quite
a fertile field in the south 1t Is true.
In the course of few years however,
at most this territory will be fully
covered. But France and the most Of
Europe will still be open to them even
as it is now. The average French
farmer never heard of farm tractor
much less saw one and the average
two horse plow that the York county
farmer uses in breaking up his land
would be as much Of a curiosity and
innovation to them as would be the
sight and use of tractor. French
farming lands are naturally more
adopted to the use Of tractor than
are those in this section because of the
fact that hills and rough places are
practically unknown in that land. Yet
the Frenchman today cultivates his
soil by practically the same means
that were used in the days Of Abra
ham, and until the outbreak of the
world war there was little evidence Of
any indication or inclination on his
part to change any of his methods in
even the slightest degree. In break
ing up their lands the farmers of
France use clumsy old wooden plow.
The only iron about 1t is the point and
1t isn't much Of a point. 1t is COM
mon sight to see them driving horse,
a mule and an oxen to a plow, the
farmer calmly taking his time, driving
his trio at a rate that would cover an
acre or two q day.
Commercial fertilizer is also prac-
tically unknown in France. Stable
manure Is the only fertilizer used by
them and It Is used in abundance.
The French farmer Is as careful
about the preservation Of stable ma
nure as our farmers are careful about
gathering corn. None of it is wasted
and every bit is intelligently utilized.
Strange as 1t may seem to American
farmers, the French farmer never
worries about wet weather. When he
decided to plow he does so regardless
Of whether 1t is raining or not. When
he decides to SOW grain or plant truck