Western Reserve chronicle and weekly transcript of the times. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1854-1855, 1855-01-24
fOr tie farmer,
THE ONE ACRE FARM.
A CURE FOR HARD TINES.

I" have one acre"
"One acre and here you are taking
three agricultural papers; and all because
you have one acre Of ground How many
such papers would you have to take if
you had hundred acres 2"
"I shouldn't probably need any more
than do now; you know, Mr.. Chap
man, man can go through all the mo.
tions' as we'll on one acre as on q hun
dred."
A man can throw away money with
out any if he has mind to. For all the
good you get from those periodicals, you
might as well, probably, throw the money
they cost into the fire, they are nothing
but humbugs."
81 pay in all only eight dollars"
Eight dolllrs! enough to buy 'tip
top barrel of -four, and leg of bacon !;
then if you read these periodicals, there
is twice the amount of the money spent
in time, res1ing them"
81 do usually read or hear read almost
every word there is in them; my boys
and | take turns in reading, and one reads
aloud while the rest work"
"Complete nonsense! ! no wonder your
shop don't turn out any more boots in a
day than it does"
Perhaps We don't do as great days
works, some days, as some of our neigh
bors; but | guess that in the course of
the year, we turn out as many according
to the hands employed as most do"
81 suppose it is out of these publications
you get your foolish notions about so
many kinds of fruit trees. One of my
boys came home a while ago and said
Mr.. Briggs had got lots Of fruit trees and
such things, that cost, don't know how
much, and wanted me to buy some grape
vines, pear trees, and SO on. told him
it was all foJlishness, and not to let me
hear about spending money SO foolishly.
"You have, | dare say, laid out ten or
fifteen dollars this SPRING"
Yes, nearly as much again; have
laid out twenty five dollars for trees and
garden fruits"
"Twenty FIVE dollars | wonder you
are not on the town, or in Jail at least, be-
fore now."
81 am not afraid of either. I'll bet
you the twenty-five dollars, I'll sell you
that amount of fruit from those things for
which paid the twenty-five dollars, in
five years"
"Done! Pll stand you; so your trees
will cost you fifty dollars sure, in money,
besides the time thrown away in setting
them out and taking care of them."
"As for the time spent in setting them
out, or taking care of them, it is as good
exercise as playing ball, wicket, or any
thing else. While we were sitting them
out, one of your boys came to get my
boys to go over to Mr.. Moody's, where he
said there was 10 be great time playing
ball; and have no doubt your boys
spend just as much time playing as mine
do with our trees and 50 forth; and then
something is done, but in playing, the
strength is all laid out for nothing"
"Well, it don't cost anything to play
ball, but trees cost money"
The foregoing conversation occurred in
the shop between two nsighbors, both
boot-makers, in a town not more than
twenty miles from Boston.
Mr.. Briggs, in whose shop the CONVEX
sation took place, was a man of more
than ordinary intelligence for sof his
advantages and circumstances in life.
He had been poor boy, and by industry
observation and economy, had worked
his way on in life, and reared and we'll
educated a family of children, who, like
himself, were industrious and steady.
For the few years past, he had become
interested in horticulture, and both for ex-
ercise and amusement, had turned his at
tention to cultivaiing his 'one acre farm
His attention was first called to this, by
back number" of the NeU England
Farmer, which was put round some
things bought at the store. Mr.. Briggs
found this so interesting that he purchasCd d
another at the periodical depot, and then
he became a regular subscriber. His
sons soon became interested in the same
direction, and the interest of the father
and sons increased to the pitch indicated
in the foregoing conversation.
In time, every inch of the acre of
ground was brought under the spade, and
almost every best variety of fruit had a
place there, and the fdther and sons found
pleasure and profit in the garden after be-
ing cooped up in the shop till the "steni''
was done, and the exercise was far more
profitable than the spaslnodic violent ex-
ercise taken in games.
Mr.. Chapman, the other neighbOr. was
man OF the common stamp" He look
ed upon everything new or uncommon as