1847. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
223 
their grasses, and even of corn land. Indeed, I do not 
remember a district where irrigation appeared to be 
conducted on so grand and so scientific a scale as in 
Austrian Lombardy. The first engineers are employed, 
—and that they have good ones, the excellence of the 
roads is sufficient proof—and the privilege of using the 
waters is let out by contract. The closest watch is 
kept of all the sluice ways, and water is sold by inches. 
Grass fields cut, not unfrequently, three heavy crops 
in a season. And even two crops-of the lighter grains 
have been matured. The corn (maize,) is most abun¬ 
dant in its produce—cultivated almost uniformly in 
lines; and its tillage not differing much from that prac¬ 
tised in our own country, except that it is far more 
thorough. 
The peasantry of Austrian Lombardy have by no 
means the contented look of those of Tuscany; still they 
are in general well clad, and healthy looking. They 
are rarely the owners of the lands they improve; though 
families frequently occupy the same farm from genera¬ 
tion to generation. The implements are not so per¬ 
fect as in Tuscany; nor is the same encouragement 
given to new methods, or improved means of pursuing 
field labor. The oxen are exceedingly fine, and great 
care is taken of them; you not unfrequently see them 
in the field blanketed, to protect them from the flies and 
the rain. The yokes are beautifully made, and fitted 
for easy draft. 
The barns through all of Lombardy are huge—set up 
upon pillars of stone, and laborers live under the same 
roof with their cattle. 
Between the Austrian dominions and Tuscany, stretch¬ 
es a pile of the Appenines, and just under its nearer 
side, a limit of the Papal territory; in this lies the old 
city of Bologna. 
Bologna. —In its neighborhood cultivation offers a 
striking contrast to that of the more southern Papal 
lands. All is as rich as a garden. The vegetables in 
the markets are hardly surpassed in Belgium. Hedges, 
too, are neatly trimmed; and it is with feelings of glad¬ 
ness, that one, after toiling over the mountains south 
of the city, leaves the sight of their ugly fissures, and 
barren, heathy sides, for a look out upon the sweet lap 
of valley in which lies Bologna. As you ride down 
towards it, hedges take the place of broken and homely 
walls; locust trees in blossom perfume the air,—the 
clover carpets acres with its crimson tufts, waving 
over the sides of the hills like silken plush; sweet 
briar, and flowers of every hue, are on each side of 
you, and plum trees, and cherries, are in the promise 
of bearing; while on the plain land below, in a great 
prairie of checkered grain, and grass, and orchard.— 
running away flat and broad as a sea, to the distant 
horizon,—are the roofs and leaning towers of the city. 
Indeed, in all that regards progress, whether in ag¬ 
riculture or commerce, the Bolognese are far before the 
other subjects of the Pope. And this it was that made 
them the most restive and revolutionary of all, under 
the tyranny of the old sovereign. 
Coming down upon the plain, where lie the little 
governments of Parma and Modena, you see great fields 
of hemp and flax, the former of gigantic growth; and in 
the cottages you see the peasantry spinning. 
A penny a day is the average earning of the flax 
spinners. No wonder they want to come to America. 
Mulberries appear occasionally. Elms and poplars 
are the prevailing trees in the flat land. 
The Bologna sausage is famous over Europe; but its 
peculiarity is merely in the making. Indeed, it is now 
sw'cessfully imitated in most other continental cities, as 
well as to some extent I believe, in our own. The 
swine I observed in Italy—out of Naples—were mostly 
of inferior description. 
I have thus given running glimpses of the rural appear¬ 
ances of Italy—purposely brief and without detail, since 
little is to be learned by us in way of improvement, 
from study of Italian agriculture. There are, however, 
some things in their systems, by attentive observation of 
which, we should be gainers. 
First*—in respect of irrigation. No where in Europe 
is the proof of its good effect so apparent as in Lombar¬ 
dy; no where is it conducted with more care; no where 
does it so richly repay the outlay. Nor is the general 
surface more favorable to the system than in many 
parts of our own country. 
Second—in care of cattle. The oxen and cows of 
Tuscany and Lombardy are more sleek and beautiful in 
their appearance, than any I remember to have seen 
elsewhere. This is owing to nice preservation of breed, 
—to proper and full feeding, and to regular and judi¬ 
cious cleaning, and protection from the weather. I may 
add further, that their docility and strength were equal 
to their good appearance. 
Third—in economy of ground. The lines between 
fields are almost uniformly set with trees in some way 
productive—either as supports to vines, or furnishing 
food for silk-worms. Their grain fields serve in some 
measure as orchards; and the practice of soiling is the 
fullest possible proof of best land economy. 
Fourth—in substantial nature of their buildings. They 
are of lasting materials—-well constructed—ample in 
size—nor are they without those graces of neatness and 
beauty to which some American farmer are as insensible 
as brutes. 
Fifth—in multiplication of products. If the silk crop 
fail, he has his grain, or his wine, or his orcharding. 
Thus too, he tests and brings into exercise every quali¬ 
ty of his soil. 
Sixth—his cheerful labor. He sings among his vines, 
and they make a chorus together at the reaping. In 
his cottage, and on the mountain, he wears a contented 
and a courteous look. May not the American farmer, 
with twice the success of the poor Italian, and as rich a 
country, study with benefit, to wear a like air of con¬ 
tentment—at least out of courtesy to those with whom 
he comes in contact;—if not with the higher intent 
of making it—as it were—an every-day thanksgiving to 
Him, “ who turneth rivers into a wilderness , and the 
water-springs into dry ground ?” 
In my next paper I shall speak of some other portion 
of the continent. 
Preserving Eggs. —This is the season to put up a 
store of eggs, against 11 time and need.” There are va¬ 
rious modes of preserving them. Lime-water has been 
found to answer well. Mr. H. A. Parsons, of Buffalo, 
informs us that he has been successful in preserving 
them with salt. He takes large stone jars, or tight 
kegs, and packs the eggs on the small end , first putting 
in a layer of salt, and then a layer of eggs, taking care 
that the eggs do not touch the keg or jar. In this way 
the vessel is filled to near the top, when it is carefully 
covered over and placed in a cool dark place. Mr. P. 
has kept them in this way, perfectly good for three 
years. It is important that the eggs should be new. 
not more than ten days old, when put up, if it is in¬ 
tended to keep them a great while. 
Curing Hams.— The editor of the Farmers'* Cabinet 
says that his mode—the best he has fallen upon in a 
practice of 30 years—is to wrap the hams completely 
in newspapers, and then enclose each in a muslin bag, 
drawing the mouth of the bag closely about the string 
which is attached to the ham and by which it is suspen¬ 
ded. A correspondent of the Ohio Cultivator never 
finds any care necessary in excluding flies, when a tea¬ 
spoonful of red pepper has been rubbed upon the fleshy 
part of each ham before salting. 
