The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-12-17
2Nrrklq Crprr5s
WEDNESDAY MORNING, DEC. ~.
Large Farms.

+ Whilst it is So natural for the mos offarmnrs
to be anxious about increasing the extent f
their farms, it Is singular fact, tina To many
persons the larger the farm the smaller the pro-
ceeds. large farm is frequently a mans worst
enemy, from the fact, that in attempting to cul-
tvate too much, none of it, is cultivated as it
should be. 1t is not how much the farmers
till that increases his stare, but how well he
tils that which he undertakes, be it much or lit
tie. The great mistake in our State is, that our
farmers have too much land, not that they are
the owners of too much, but that they are
the TURNER'S of too much Where YOU wish to
see the most thriving farmers you must not look
for the most extensive lands, but for those that
are the most cared for. The, pruden', thrifty
and Industrious husbandman, will have as much
concern for the state and condition Of his land
as he will for his stock. He wilLnurture it with
equal care. AS he will not expect services or
emolument from his stock without proper food
and attention, neither will he expect return
from the soil, unless regarded with correspond
ing care, and supplied with that nourshment
and vitality, which will enable it to perform its
various and important functions. The soil in
producing IFS crops, is just like the tree in pro-
ducing its fruits, which if too heavily taxed by
a superabundant yield, SINKS under the load, and
l.,ses its accustomed health and strength Ma
ture becomes exhausted by the too great draw
upon her resources, and the result is, that the
tree is actually incapacitated for the performance
OF its simplest and most natural duties So
with the, soil, and especially in our State. Rich
almost to an excess, for few years it never fails
to yield handsomely, unaded by any foreign ap-
pliances. The natural wealth os our soil. taken
in connection with the steady decomposition oil
the heavy sod of the prairie, supply ample nu-
trment to meet all the demands of crops for
few seasons, but nature giving out all the time,
and never receiving, soon wastes its energies,
and as consequence fails to realize the hereto
fore contented expectations of the now dispirited
husbandman. If you would have crops, you
must have good soil, and if you would have
good soil, you must use manure 1t will not do
to go on the suppostion that the richness of
our soil is inexllaus:be. By constantly paying
out, and never receiving, the wealthest will
grow poor. So in like manner with the soil Ill
If many of our farmers would confine them
selves to smaller space, and cultivate that well
and thoroughly, they would have less need of
help, less cause for complaint of drudgery, and
much less reason to gricve over meagre I'd at
tenuated yields, if we may express ourselves
Forty acres properly cultivated, will yield more
than one hundred and forty, if left to the ma
tural resources Of the land. To demonstrate
this, we need only refer o the immense yields
that respond to the careful and bounteous culti-
vator in Europe, where every foot Of soil is tax
ed to its utmost ability. How is it accomplish
ed: Their soil is no better than ours, and
naturally not half as 90 ID. What then is the
reason? The farmer there manures, as regular
ly and as necessarily as he gathers in his har-
vests.