Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-09-11
A LITTLE FARM WELL TITLED.

The greatest obstacle to the Improvement of
Agriculture in New England, is the propensity
of the farmer, the mania | might call it,
to own more land than he can till to advantage.
And it is thus that we see scattered over the
country large tracts Of sterile, unproductive land,
which, under good cultivation, would yield boun-
tilul and valuable crops. Not only the dictates
of sound philosophy, but numerous facts drawn
from experience, are constantly and loudly call
ing upon the farmer, from every quarter, to &C.
cupy asmaIl farm and cultivate it we'll. | wish
that this admonition could be Numbered into the
ears Of the agricultural population of New Eng
land, until a complete revolution should be pro-
daced in the farming system.
This great truth is already beginning to be
understood in other countries, and is attended
with corresponding advantages. The densest
population in Europe may be found in Flanders
and Lombardy, where the land is divided into
small farms, and being thoroughly titled, pro-
duces abundant food for the inhabitants. And
the experience of a quarter Of a century in
France proves that, by the occupation Of the
country under small working farmers, the land
is producing one-third greater, than when it was
possessed in large masses. The law is %univers-
alt applies to every country-that the secret
of success in Agriculture consists in the thor
ough cultivation of a small piece of ground,
which, well MANFRED and well worked, yields up
its treasures in prodigal profusion. In almost
every part of New England, one capital error
runs through the whole system of farming. A
great deal of money is invested in land, and a
very little money employed in its cultivation
And it is sad to see the owner Of a large farm
pride himself on the number of acres which he
possesses, and undertake to cultivate the soil
without sufficient means. Such a man has been
happily compared to a merchant, who expends
all his capital in building for his own use a
large oolny store, and is afterwards seen gazing
with complacency on his bare walls and empty
shelves.
He has chalked out to himself hard lot, and
voluntarily enters on a state of servltudc, worse
than Egyptian bondage. His work is never &C
complished. He tolls at all hours and yet is new
er ahead of his work, and his work is never half
done. lie has not time to accomplish any thing
thoroughly. His house is out of repair-his
barn dilapidated-his cattle poor-his fences in
ruins-his pastures overrun with bushes, and a.
ores ofland, which, under proper cultivation,
would yield a rich harvest, are but little re-
moved from barrenness, perhaps dotted with null
len, burdocks, thisties, or filled with sorrel,
white-weed, aud other noxious plants, which
root out she grass and cat up the life Of the soil,
without a%fording nourishment to man or beast.
What a harrassed, unhappy being must be the
owner ofsuch farm He has no time for rec
%reation or mental improvement He is doomed
to the tread-mlll for life with his spirits de-
pressed, dependency stamped upon his haggard
lineaments, and the worm of discomfort gnawing
at his heart, with him there are no pleasant as
sociations with the past-the present is full Of
anxiety, care and hard labor-and a dark cloud
rests upon the future. He reminds me of Hoods
touching Song of the Shirt, and it may be vel
said or sung Of him
Work-work-work
From werary chime to chime,
Work-work-work
As prisoners work for crime,
Pillow, and harrow, and hoe!
Hoe, and harrow, and plough
Till the heart is sick, and the arm benumb'd
And misery stamn'd m the brow