FARMING IN TURKEY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1265, 28 May 1896, Page 5

FARMING IN TURKEY.

A writer in the St. James Gazette gives some interesting particulars concerning the Turkish farmer's life. Inured as l:c has been to a struggling existence, it has ha 1 the eil'ect of making him gloomy and taciturn. In place of a neat farmstead we find a hoVel constructed of sun-dried mud bricks. This one-roomed hovel, without any windows ('lie only light and air admitted comes down the chimney), serves him and his family as their residence. Adjoining this we find a cellar-like building which serves to house his live stock. All tho surroundings are dirt and untidiness In the place of a garden we see heaps of manure. The walls round the premises are studded over with lumps of cowdung undergoing the process of drying for fuel. On the whole a Turkish farm hovel lias a desolate and cheerless look about it, and it is no wonder, with all these miserable surroundings, that the owner should partake of their nature. Frugality is a great characteristic of tho Turkish farmer, and it is owing to this that he lias been able to eko out a miserable existence. His tastes are simple, and his requirements few. He produces everything for his sustenance at little cost \ his food consists for tho greater part of bread, for which he grows the wheat. This is sometimes varied by a soup made of sour milk and crushed wheat boiled. This is a most nourishing and satisfying dish, lie also cooks another dish, equally good, of crushed wheat boiled and flavoured with fresh butter. Sometimes lie indulges in a dish of fried eggs. Coflee he drinks occasionally. This completes his dietary, and, simple as it is, he is strong and healthy, and generally of flue physique. He thinks nothing of a twenty or thirty mile walk, or of doing a day’s wotk of six teen hours. He would fare badly with the eight hours system. His clothing costs him even less than his food. He cultivates the cotton from which the women spin the yarn and weave the calico for his clothes, lie also allows himself a jacket made of bright-coloured Manchester print. The sheep finds him material for a warmer covering ■ he knits his own stockings. Boots are unknown to him ; he manufactures out of a piece of untanned cowhide a pair of sandals. His cattle finds him fuel ; he collects all their manure and dries it in tho sun. This warms his h ruse, it makes a good bright lire, and also serves to light his room. Limps and candles are too great a luxury® Tobacco he sometimes indulges in. In spite ol all his frugality lie remains poor