Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1847-03-04
Small Farms.


The creates, obstacle TO the improvement Of
griculture in Ane4ca, is The propensity of The
farmer, The mania might well call il, TO own
more land than he can ill 10 advantage. And
it is thus that We see scattered over the coun-
Try, large tracts Of sterile, unproduc,ive land,
which, under good cultivation, would yield
bonnlifu and valuable crops.
No, only The dictates Of sound philosophy,
bu. numerous facls, drawn from experience, are
constantly and loudly calling upon the farmer
from every quarter to occupy small farm, and
cultivate it ,ceH wish that this admoniion
could be ihundered into the ears of The agrcu-
tuEal population unlil complete revolution
should be produced in the farming system.
This great truth is already beginning TO be
understood in other countries, and is attended
si,h corresponding advantages. The densesl
population in Europe may be found in Flanders
and Lnmbardy, where The land is divided into
small farms, and, being thoroughly titled, pro-
duces abundant food for the inhabitants. And
lhe experience of quarter of century in
France, proves. that. by the occupation of the
country under small working farmers, the land
population onc-lhird greater, than when il was
possessed in large masses. The law is univer-
salt applies to every coun'ry-'hat success
in Agriculture consists in the thorough cultiva-
lion of small piece Of ground, which. we'll
manured and welI-worked, yields uP It's treas
ures in prodigal profusion.
In almos, every par, Of our country, one cap
tal error runs through the whole system OF
farming. A great deal of money is invested in
land, and very lirtle money employed in its
cultivation. And i, is sad to see the owner Of
large farm pride himself on The number of
arrcs which he possesses, and undertake 10 cu-
tvae The soil without sufficient means. Such
a man has been happily compared TO a mer-
chant who expends all his capital in building
for his own Use large, roomy store, and is af-
ierwards seen gazing " ith compacency on his
bare wall and empty shelves. He has chalked
ou, TO himself hard lot, and voluntarily enters
na state Of servilude worse than Egyptian
bondage, His work is never accomplished
He tolls a, si hours, and yet is never ahead Of
his work, and his work is never half done.--
He has mol time 10 accomplish anything thor
oughly. His house is out of repair-hs cattle
poor-his barn dapdaed ed--his fences in ruins
his pastures orerrun with bushes, and acres
of land, which, under proper cultivation might
be made to yield rich harvest are'but liule
removed from barrcnness, perhaps dotted with
mulen, burdocks, ,his,les. or filled with sorrel,
white weed, and other uoxious plants, which
root out the grass and ca, up the life OF the soil,
wiihou, affording nourishmeu, 10 man or beast.
Such man has iiile reason 10 pride himself
on his extensive possessions. and, paradoxieal
as it may appear, he would, in nine gases onl
Of ten, add TO his riches as we'll as his enjoy.
meu,, by giving away one half a, least. He
is, in the true sense Of the word, miserably
poor, in fact a slave; and when his eyes are
opened to his real condition, il is no wonder
tha, he is glad 10 emancpae himself, by selling
his farm for wha, he can get, and escape, post
haste, to Texas or Iowa.