Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-09-21
OUT or DEBT-IN DEBr-wHo Is
n0ING WE'LL

run IN DEBT. but IL should De
understood that one may be out
Of debt, and yet doing badly; and
that another may be in debt, and
yet doing well. The lamest point
in New England farming,is the
reluctance Of farmers to the en-
ployment of capital in their bust
ness. Better be in debt than not
have money to improve the farm
with. Let us illustrate.
Ten years ago A. and b. bot
each Of them a farm containing
about a hundred acres, each hav-
ing a little good land and consid-
cradle that was capable of being
made good, but more that must
always be poor. The buildings
in each case we're too old to think
Of occupying long. Both gave
the same price; paid down, and
had a few hundred dollars to pur-
chase stock and commence oper-
atoms.
A. has hired no help-could'nt
afford it. He has been diligent
with his own hands; has put up
a great many fallen rails, but has
brought few from the woods; has
mended a great many old walls,
but made no new ones; he raised
pretty good crops on the little
land he had, but has not made an
acre of good land out Of poor;
has occupied the same buildings,
but has not improved them much
has Tired, by making his own
wants and those Of his family very
small. He still holds the farm,
but not improved in value, but
clear OUT of debt; and if you were
to pass by, you would kno,C it,
for it has..not altered much. All
this time hehas kept yoke of
oxen and horse, but has work
for them to do less than half of
the time; and he has paid perhaps
two-thirds as much for imple-
ments, as ifhe had employed more
hands to use them. Could an or
iginal be found for this picture?
b. begun by hiring two men
s months in the year. He saw
that the farm was not goodenough
to enrich him, perhaps not to sup
yort him, unless he could make it
better. There we're lands so full
of water that they could produce
nothing Of value till drained
Others, with a strong soil, were
50 full OF that the labor Of work.
ing them was equal the value Of
the crops. There was several hun
dred rods Of wall wanted, from
three feet under ground to five
feet above. for the three fold pur-
pose ofstopping the cattle, drain.
ing the soil, aud swallowing up as
many stones ms possible. Other
fences must be removed. Better
buildings we're necessary. His
own hands could not do all these
things. The crops, from what
little feasible land he had, would
not pay the extra help. What
should be done. Perhaps the In
creased productiveness Of his i'm
poved land would pay the debt il
he should incnr one. He ventur-
ed. For several years heexpend.
ed on the farm more than its in
come. His farming ran him in
debt. But no he has good
farm. Broad fields are cleared oil
stones and thoroughly walled in
What were useless boys are now
productive meadows. The whole
Glrmis nowiencedsomewhat above
the requirements Of law. New
and substantial buildings are just
completed. All this has beer
done by degrees, cautiously, but
as fast as he could see the way
clean and now he owns that farm
doubled in value Che could sell il
to dav for twice as much as A
could his;)and although rot quite
clear Of debt, he owes less thar
half as much as his farm has in
creased in value. All this time
he has paid larger taxes than A.
has done more to keep bushes:
astir ia the place; has given more
away; has been no sharper in buy.
ing; has spent less time in getting
the last cent, than the thing he
had 10 sell was worth, Could an
original be found for this picture'
Ii there could be hundred
originals found for both pic
lures, and We think there might
then which is doing the best, the
man who has always kept clear O.
bebt and is clear still, or the one
who has always been in debt and
is not yet out?
The time has been when farm
ing conld be done, in a poor sort
Of a way, without other capita
than that invested in land. Blu
that time has gone by. We d.
not mean to say that a mar
msrst ba rich in order to farm