The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-08-22
asrifultural.
What poor Farmer Cannot Afford.

Greedy had pretty thorough agriculture
training while boy, so that nearly oil tn
processes Of the art are familiar to him.
To this he has added close and discrimina
ting observation, and thus qualified himsel
to write as good an agricultural address q
We read from any source.
"The truth am most anxious to impress
II that no poor man can afford to be q poo
farmer. When have recommended agri
cultural Improvements, have often beel
told, 'this expensive farming will do vel
enough for rich people, bat we who are ii
moderate circumstances can't afford it,
Now, IL 10 not ornamental farming that
recommend, but profitable farming. IL !
true that the amount Of q mans capita
must fx the limit Of his business, in agri
culture as in everything else. But howeve
poor you may be, you can afford to cult
vsts land well IL you can aifoId to cultivat'
itat oil. It may be out of your power Il
keep q large farm under high state Of cul
tivation, but then you should sell part O
IL, and cultivate small one. II you are q
poor man, you cannot afford to raise smal
crops you cannot afford to accept halt q
crop from land capable Of yielding a whol'
ono. II you are poor man you cannot
afford to fence two acres to secure the croI
that ought to grow on one you cannot af
ford to pay or lose the interest on the ccs'
Of q hundred acres of land to get the crops
that will grow on fifty. No nan can afford
to raise twenty bushels Of corn to an acre,
not even If the land were given him, for
twenty bushels to the acre will not pay the
cost Of the miserable cultivation that pro.
duces II.
"No poor man can afford to cultivate hi'
land in such q manner as will cause IL TO de-
teriorate in value. Good farming improves
the value Of land, and the farmer who man.
ages his farm so as to get the largest crop it
is capable Of yielding, increases its value
every year.
"No farmer can afford to produce weeds.
They grow. to be sure, without cultivation;
they spring up spontaneously on all land,
and especially rich land, but though they
cost no toll, q farmer cannot afford to raise
them. The same elements that feed them,
would, with proper cultivation, nourish a
crop, and no farmer can afford TO expend on
weeds, the natural wealth which was BE-
slowed by Providence to gil his gnnaries.-
I an accustomed, my friends, to estimate
the Christianity Of the localities through
which pass, by the absence Of weeds on
and about the farms. When see o farm
covered by the gigantic growth Of weeds,
take 1t for granted that the owner is q hea-
then, herstic, or IN infdel--a Christian
hc cannot be, or he would not allow the
heritage which God gave him to dress and
keep, to be deformed and profaned. And
II you will allow me to make an applica'
ton Of the doctrine preach, l must be per
mitted to say that there is great field fol
missionary effort on the farms between here
EAST Hamburg) and Buffalo. Nature ha'
been bountiful to you, but there is great
need Of better cultivation.
Farmers cannot afford to grow = crop
on soil that does not contain the natural
elements that enter into its composition.-
When you burn vegetable, large part Of
the bulk passes away during the process Of
combustion into air. But there is always
o residue Of mineral matter, consisting oi
lime, potash, and other ingredients that en-
tered into its composition. Now, the plant
drew thess materials out Of the earth, ant
II you attempt to grow that plant in sol
that Is deficient in those ingredients, yo'
are driving an unsuccessful business. Ma
turs does not make vegetables out Of moth
ing, and you cannot expect to take crop af
ter crop OF from little 6eld that does no
contain the elements Of which il Is formed
If you wish to maintain the fertility o
your farms, you must constantly restore 4
them the materials which are withdrawn il
cropping. No farmer can afford to sell hi
ashes You annually export from wester,
New York large amount Of potash. De
pend upon il there is nobody in the wOrl
70 whom this is worth 90 much as to your
selves. You can't AFFORD TO ell IL, but
farmer can we'll afford to buy ashes at
higher price than ia paid by anybody tha
docs not wish 10 use them as fertilizers {
the soil. Situated a. the farmers Of thi
county are in the neighborhood Of Q cit
that burns large quantities ofwood for fae
you should make IL part Of your syste'
Of farming TO secure oil tho ashes IL prod.
60. When your teams 60 10 town wit
loads Of wood, ID would cost compartivsl
little 70 bring back loads Of sshes and oth'
fertilizers that would improve the produ'
tivenss Of your farms.
"No poor farmer can adofd to keep fru
trees that do not bear good fruit. Goo
fruit 10 always valuable, and shoald be raj
Cd BY the farmer, not only for market, b
for large consumption in h,s own family
As moro cplishtensd views Of diet preva
fruit i destined to supplant tho szpsnsi
quantities Of animal feed that are eousum
In this country. Thh change viii produ
better health, greater vigor Of body, act,vi
Of mind. and elasticity ofspiris, and l ca
not doubt that the time viii come when G,
man, instead Of passing down the lar
quantities Of nsst thsy do as present, VI