The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-07-07
EniargiDg u Farm without
~ f. RUYiDg Land.

ASA te ktU1l lHs Ldnu'
If p Wan does Hlt kn0W hOW much
land he actually owns, aud gets no bene-
fit out of that part with which he is un-
acquainted, aud then is informed that he
has more, aud is told how to use i, Why
Is this not equivalent to the purchase ot
more acres Farmers are often heard to
exclaim; HQh that ! Werp rich enou%hto
BUY little more land, then could tatten
more cattle and sheep, and | could carry
more grain to market y Now, to such
men, at least to some of them, We beg
leave to say, your farms are already lar
er than you suppose. You seem to think
that your oWnorship exteuds only six
INCHES deep into the earth but this is a
misrepresentation. 1t is not very strange,
however, since all the former owners Of
the soil had the SANE idea; and the In-
lians from whom your ancestors either
bought or stole the land, were content
with only the surface, just enough to hunt
upon or to grub few roots out of. But
this is all mistake, as you will see by
reflection. Examine the title deeds to
your land aud spe if there is any limit to
your rights IN downward direction. You
will not fnd any +; we know you won't.
Now, therefore, do not fear to 60 at
once and take possession of the rest of
your farm. 1t is virgin soil, covered with
Gnly few INCHES of partly worn land
and it will return you fine crops if you
will only lay it to the sun and air, or mix
with it the soil ypa have long cultivated.
perhapa it will not be wise for you to try
to use it all the first year; use a little
moderation in entering upon your new
property, for your own sake and the farms
sake. Here is what some writer has said
On the subjert--nat strictly true perhaps,
hat highly suggestiyol "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 comparatively new soil of Ohio.
Why is thiS Simply because the lead,
ing British farmers are educated men,
and apply their work wisely. They pay
back to the earth what they borrow from
her; they opaeayor by every means in
thor power to enrich their ground. aud
in return it epriphes them, If American
farmers, lnGtead of lahoring to double the
Hpmher pf their acres, would endeavor to
double their drops, they would find it a
saving of time and toll, and an increase
Qf profit. 7 + Many n4en never think ct,
digging ten inches into the soil, unless
they have dreamed of crock of gold hid
in the earth but If they would set about
the work of digging in earnest every man
would find his crock of gold without the
aid of dreams or divinatloa.
We once heard of some remarkable
strawberries raised in a neighhoring town;
aud called the "WashiagtOa Excelsior y
strawberry. Rumor said that the leaves
were large, vividlY green all summer, the
fruit large and abundant for q long time,
and not diminished by the seVerost
droughts. The plants were sold for half
dollar apiece, and were considered cheap
at that price, Attracted by these won
derful stories of the new fruit, we went
to see it and learn all about it. The
plants WC40 luuecQ bcdulilnIa dAu luc
fruit very iRe. But our eyes were open
ed when Mr.. Smith, the owner, told us
frankly, that the plants were some com
mon sort, the name of which he had for
gotten but that they were grown on a
bed in the corner of his garden which
was made ground for at least six feet
deep. Why did not this account for the
persistent verdure of the foliage and the
Size and verdurc of the fruit /? Yet, the
superior beauty of the plants and berries
had attracted much attention in the'neigh-
borhood and seemed to call for a high
sounding name; and so Mr.. Smith dub
bed them the Washington Excelsior
Plainly this mans strawberry Ted was
enlarged without fencing in more land
Geaesee Farmer. trr