The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-12-04
From the Plow. Loom and Anvil
Is it wise for the Farmer to incur Debts in
the Improvement of his Lands.

By HON. Il. Il. HUBBARD. SUNDERLAND, MS
In recommending to farmers improved
methods of cnlture-in urging them to drain
their swamps, to fill their yards with muck,
to purchase mineral manures, when needed
TO expend more for seeds, to keep their stock
better and better-l am often answered thus:
"We have not the means. We can barely
make the ends of the year meet; and to incur
debts in the Improvement of our lands would
be worse than folly"
Allow me, Messrs Editors to reply to such
objections through the medium of your valu-
able journal.
"Whatever is worth doing at all is worth
doing WELL
This adage holds good in agriculture as
we'll as in the culture Ofthc mind.
Now if agriculture is not a paving business
let 1t be abandoned for that which paws bet
ter. If such can be found 1t cannot. howcv
er be denied that the proper t;noSo Of .ho
soil pays, and pays liberal ly: that of all en-
plo,vments in which man has ever engaged, it
it is the most conducive to health of body and
vlcor of mind; the most promotivc of indie
pendence in thought. in word and in action
and of moral purity, both private and public.
1t is also the natural employment of man.
In the history of the creation. we are told that
after the habItation of man was fitted nm and
made ready for its new possessor. "there was
not man to hW the ground" :" implying, most
certainly, that tilling the earth was to be his
avocatton-that in the economy of Divine
Providence, this was the post assigned him.
Furthermore we are told that the "Jord
God took the man, and put him into garden
of Eden to dress it and to keep it,
Are we not warranted, then, in ASSERTING
that the most natural, the most appropriate.
the most dignifed employment for the des-
cendants of Adam is agriculture
lfthis be true, farming properly conduct,
cd, must be remunerative. Tvrants compel
their vassals to labor without paw, and even
to make bricks without straw. Not so with
Him who has promised seed-time and haryes,
to the husbandman.
The tiller may and often does fail to obtain
subsistence from the fruits of his labor lie,
him blame the culture, not the soil
But to the question: Is it polite or wise in
the farmer to make improvements faster than
he obtains the means from the products of hi,
farm?
The merchant borrows capital on which tc
trade; the mechanic and manufacturer find
it to their interest to do the same, so in eve.
ry department of human industry. Among
the most enterprising and most successful are
those who husband their means so as to make
capital pay more than the legal rate of inter.
est, and who consequently are induced tc
borrow
Why should the farmer constitute and ex.
ception
A merchant wishes to purchase flour; he
has no money to spare from his business
Thinking the operation safe one he borrow.
enough to purchase five hundred barrels. Al
the end of three months, he has disposed of
his flour, refunded the borrowed money, and
pocketed five hundred dollars-the nett pro-
ceeds of his adventure. A farmer has 10 a.
cres which he intends to SOW with wheat. II
is capable of producing but ten bushels pei
acre. By an outlay of five dollars an acre, for
phosphate oflime, ashes, guano, or such 9TH
er mineral, vegetable, or animal manure a.
the soil requires, the yield may be in.
creased to fifteen bushels, and for several
succeeding years in the same ratio, giving a
nett gain as great as in the other case sup
posed. The cases differ only in this: in the
latter case the return is not so speedy, while
in the former the success is far more uncer-
tain.
Thousands of acres are annually planted
to Indian corn, which produces no more than
thirty bushels per acre. By an outlay ofte
dollars per acre, the product might be in
creased to at least forty bushels, which to-
gether with the increase for four years fol-
lowing, would refund the outlay, with at least
twenty per cent interest.