Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-02-24
Farmers Department.


S~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~.~~~~.~~~~.~S
The True system Of Farming.
Trying to DO TOO much Is common
error into which the farmer often falls
His great eagerness in striving to be rich
is doubtless the cause of this error. He
is ambitious and energetic and forms
his plan on a large scale, too often, per.
haps, without counting the cost. He
buys large farm. and wants to be call.
ed ..large farmer" without understand
ing or considering the true elements tina,
constitute a real farmer. He fancies the
greatness of that profession, as is often
the common estimate, TO be in prop0r-
ton to the number of acres, not TO say
cultivated, but embraced within the
boundaries Of this domain. The fact is
now being spread abroad that large
farm does not make man either rich.
contehted or happy, but on the contrary
the reverse Of all these, unless well till
ed, when his labor is rewarded by ample
crops and fair success in the various de-
p,rimen.s in which he is engaged. No
farmer can realize the full benefits of his
profession without adopting thorough
system Of culture. His success, CON-
mensurate to his wishes. always depends
upon the manner in which he prepares
his grounds, plants his seed, and rears
his stock. Neither of these departments
which may be considered the cardinal
ones Of his profession, will take care of
themselves. The soil may re rich, bu:
it needs culture. His seed may be sown,
but il should be ia due time, and always
wen prepared, and Of suitable quality
for the production Of the crop desired
His stock must be constantly cared for
II derives It's thrift from the soil and sends
back again to that soil the sustenance is
requ Tres; but this is not done in loose
or hap-hazard way. The farmers care
is required, and all his better iudgmen,
must be constantly exercised in keeping
up this sy stem of reciprocal benefits that
may be realized by every intelligent aud
industrious farmer. Thorough cultiva.
tion and systematic attention to all
parts Of his business is indispensable to
good degree of success. The very
corner stone of the whole system of farm
ing is to DO wha, you do thoroughly
nature will not be cheated and never
gives full returns TO the halfway work
that is practiced by too many calling
themselves farmers. Ii the land has
been worn the extent Of that exhaustion
and the food required must be first con-
sidered. When ascertained. the full
measure of these requirements must be
given TO bring out good returns. IT, the
farmer has buta small stock and conse-
quently small amount of manure to re-
plenish his land. il is obvious that but
small farm can be supplied with it; and
good judgment at once dictates that to
cultivate properly large farm. artificial
fertilizers must be used if good crops are
obtained. And so with. the labor-two
men cannot suitably till one hundred
acres Of land; when the labor OF the two
men and perhaps four might be profita-
bly, employed on seventy five acres.
This is the great error in farming
Two men strive to do what four men can
hardly do, and thus thousands of acres
are run over half titled. and producing
half crops. The land is run over until
worn OUT, sustaining year after year the
unnatural tax, till its energies are entire
| ly exhausted. and it fails to yield even
feeble crop. because i,s lie is worn out.
Much of the soil iE Virginia and o,her
southerns,ates is type Of this. Thou-
sands Of acres are laying entirely use.
less and exhausted, and ever will remain
so. tlll The first elements OF its power are
returned toit. This process is fast 90.
ihg on in many of the western sta.es.--
The soil is treated like an inc xhaus,ible
mine; the ,ilers crying. "give! give!'' till
within few years it will have nothing
leii TO give. The great boast of the
west is. large farms and large fields of
grain; plow. SOW and reap is the busi-
ness of western farmers. drawing away
in tho heavy exports that are constantly
going onward, without returning to the
soil the food that i. requires to make it
productive.
The light that is being spread abroad
on this subject is beginning to correc, this
practice to some extent, but in mos. in
stances bm very little is returned to the
soil to keep it alive, till after several
years OF continual cropping il manifes,s
signs Of exhaustion and Ultimate barren
ness. When tillers Of the soil UNDER
stand their true interests they will culti-
ya,e no more land than they ran do well.
Fifty acres of land for tiliage. brought to
high state of cultivation, pays better
than one hundredr run over in The way
that many do.
Without friend the world 10 a viii.