Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-04-16
AGRICULTURAL. ga


How MuoH LAND SHALL We Buy i-The pas
sion Of the American farmer for more land is
proyerbial, and the strength Of the passion
shows itself as a national, as well as an indiyld
nal characteristic. However ample the national
domain, we want little more land, Texas, CAL
ifornia, little more of Mexico, and while
hence Cuba. The manifest destiny OF the
country Is to absorb everything that joins II, on
all sides, and when this is done we will probably
90 to flliing in the ocean, with the Andes and
Rocky Mountains.
Almost every cultivator of the soil shows
much stronger desire to possess more land,
than to till that which he already owns in the
best manner. He pays large price for iarm
without grumbling, while he grudges every
dollar paid for manures and the implements
of husbandry. The necessity of capital to carry
on the farm to the best advantage after 1t is
purchased does not enter into his calculations.
The fact is lost sight of, that land is very poor
property, except as it is titled, and made to
Yield its owner some return for his investment.
Many tarmeris ruined by the amount Of capital
he invests in land, when 1t does not yield him
one per cent. interest.
Il is manifest, then, that farmer, in purch-
asing land for improvement, shonld invest but
portion of his capital in the soil, while he re-
serves at least half for the purchase OF stock,
manures, seeds, and labor. The outcry against
|
| CARDS this necessity Of capitol and labor to
make farming profitable. The soils amachlne,
! that will turn out valuable crops just as it Is
| worked While allowed to stand idle, 1t pro-
| duces little, and the farmer gets poor returns
| for his investments. If a farmer have twenty
thousand dollars to invest, he may purchase
tenthousand dollars worth Of land, using the rest
| of his capital to carry on his business with. If
| he have skill and capacity, no may carry on
| A.. unaln nd In faNh
more profitable than it can be made on small
scale. There is nothing in the nature of filling
the soil calculated to dwarf mans energies.
Intelligence and shrift have as fair a field in this
calling aa any other, and man may more surely
| gain a competence and provide for the reason
able wants Of family upon a farm than in any
other place.
Our circumstances, in the older States espe.
cially, are not so widely different from those o.
the English or Scotch farmer as to forbid the
large outays which they make for the working
of the soil. In recent legislative agriculture
meeting in Massachusetts, one gentleman spoke
of this difference between the English and
| American farmer. He related an incident Of
his travels in Scotland, where he saw farm Of
| six hundred acres, and he found that the whole
success of the farmer depended upon his put
ting as much manure upon the land as would
purchase an ordinary farm. He spent 81 900
for manure, 5000 year for bone-dust, in ad'
dition to the manure made upon the place from
700 head of cattle. He raised twenty tons Of
turnips to the acre, besides the topsi he raised
thirty-two bushels of wheat to the acre; and he
had only three acres of grass permanently. AL
the rest of the farm was cultivated. He paiC
between $4,000 and $1,000 year for rent
This item Of expense is very much in favor o
the American farmer, and is probably more
than sufficient to counterbalance the highe
| .s,l,, -.
, be purchased, even in our older States, for
less sum than the annual rental of farminI
, lands in Europe. But, cheap as they are, n
, man should be tempted to take any more thai
he has the means to cultivate.
, Surplus capital of farmers should BIO invest
ed in improvements upon the farm rather thai
in bank stock, or in moro land. Ii is no un
common thing for intelligent cultvators to &c
eight, ten, and even twelve per cent. interes
. upon improvements in their own business
' Bank stock rarely equal these returns, an,
often fall short Of them. It would seem tina
4 every intelligent business man ought to kno,
how to take care of his own money better tina
another can do il for him. The merchant AM
, manufacturer understand this, and not onl
boldly invest all their own earnings in thei
I business, but use borrowed money to larg
! extent. Millions upon millions of the surplu
| capital of farmers are invested in other calling
while their own enterprises are suffering sad
for the want Of capital. They employ not on
! half the labor they could make profitable the
: are afraid to purchase manures, or to ventul
! upon new crops. In good farm buildings, oil
! conveniencies for making manures, they a
= especially deficient. These are iAstrumen
u that will pay large dividends, and no tiller
: the soil who has any surplus capital, or c.
command it, should be content to do witho
: them. All tho excrements, liquid and soil
u of every animal upon the farm, should be car
:, fully saved, comRosted with muck, and Ike
Z under cover until it is deposited in the soil.