A Large Farm.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 14 April 1891, Page 3

A Large Farm.

■ . — ♦• : — — ; In . the extreme yresb comer| of Louisana lies the. largest producing farm in the world. Measuring 100 miles north and south, and 25 miles east and west, it. is owned and operated by a syndicate of Northern capitalists. The 1,600,000 acres of the tract were purchased in 1888 from the State of Louisiana and from the United States Government. At that time it was a vast grazing land for the cattie of the few dealers of- the neighborhood, over 80,000 head of half- wild horses and cattle being 1 thereon. Now this imenense tract is divided into convenient pas-' ture stations or ranches, existing every six miles. The fencing alone oosfcin the neighborhood 50,000 dols. The land is best adapted for rice, sugar, corn, and cotton. All cultivating, ditching, &c, is done by steam power. A tract, say half a mile wide, is marked and an engine is placed on each side. The engines are portable, and operate a cable attached to four ploughs, and under this arrangement 80 aores a day are gone over with only the labour of three men. Harrowing, planting, and other cultivation is done in a like manner. There is not a single draught horse on the entire place. Of course horses are used for the herders of cattle, of which there are 16,000 head. The Southern Pacific Kailway runs for 86 miles through the farm. The company have three steamboats operating on the waters of their estates, of which there are 800 miles navigable. They have also an ice house, a bank, a shipyard, and a rice mill.