The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1859-09-14
Enlarging Farm Without Buying
Land,

If a man does not know how much
land he actually owns, and gets no bene-
fit out of that part with which he is unac-
quainted, and then is informed that he
has more, and is told how to use it, why
is not this equivalent to the purchase of
more acres? Farmers are often heard to
exclaim,
% that I were rich enough to buy a
little more land, then 1 could fatten more
cattle and sheep and could carry more
grain to market?'
Now, to such men, at least to some of
them, We beg leave to say, your farms are
already larger than you suppose. You
seem to think that your ownership ex
tends only six inches deep into the earth;
but this is misapprehension. 1t is
not very strange, however, since all the
former owners of the soil had the same
idea, and the Indians, from whom your
ancestors bought or stole the land, were
content with only the surface, just enough
to hunt upon and grub few roots out
of. But this is all mistake, as you will
see on reflection. Examine the title
deeds to your land and see if there is any
limit to your rights in downward direc-
ton. You will not find any; we know
you won't.
Now, therefore, do not fear to go at
once and take possession of the rest of
your farm. 1t is virgin soil, covered
over with only a few inches of partly
worn land; and it will return you fine
crops if you will only lay it open to the
sun and air, or mix it with the soil you
have long cultivated. Perhaps it will
not be wise for you to try to use it all the
first year, use little moderation in en-
tering upon your new property, fcf your
own sake and for the farms sake. Here
is what some writer has said on the sub
ject, not strictly correct perhaps but high
ly suggestive:
AT the present time, the average crop
of wheat per acre in Great Britain, on a
soil cultivated for centuries, is about
double that produced on the compare
lively new soil of Ohio. Why is this?-
Simply because the leading British farm
ers are educated men, and apply their
work wisely. They pay back to the
earth what they borrow from her; they
endeavor, by every means in their power
to enrich their ground, and in return il
enriches them. If American farmers, in
stead of laboring to double the number o
their acres, would endeavor to double
their crops, they would find it a saving o
time and toll, and an increase of profit -
Many men never think Of digging tel
inches into the soil, unless they hav
dreamed about crock of gold hid in tn
earth: but if they would set about the worl
of digging in earnest, every man woul'
find his crock of gold without the aid O
dreams and divination.'
We once heard Of some remarkabl
berries raised in neighborin
town, and called the "WashingtOn Elk
celsior" straw berry. Rumor said tha
the leaves were large, vividly green a.
summer, the fruit large and abundan
for long time and not diminished by tn
severest drouths. The plants were sol
at half dollar apiece, and were consid
cred cheap at that price. Attracted b
these wonderful stories of the new fruit
we went to see it and learn all about il
The plants were indeed beautiful, an
fruit very fine. But our eyes were open
ed when Mr.. Smith, the owner, told u
frankly that the plants were some CON
t mon sort, the name of which he had fol
gotten, but that they were grown on
, bed in the corner of his garden which wa
\ made ground, for at least sic feet deet
: Why, did not this account for the pre-
sistent verdure of the foliage and the siz
l and the abundance of the fruit? Yet tn
: superior beauty of the plants and berrie
, had attracted much attention in tn
r neighborhood, and seemed to call for
high sounding name, and so Mr.. Smit
! dubbed them the Washington Excelsior
2 Plainly. this mans strawberry bed wa
t enlarged without fencing in more land
> american Agricuhurist.