Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1859-06-03
90 0nG6Ee1g40s0ag,
Froa. The .4mericai.s .4griealturast.
EnEarging n Farm without Buying
Land.

II man does not know how much land he
actually owns, and gets no benefit out of that
part with which be is unacquaiuted, and then
is Informed tha: be has more, and Is told how to
use it, why is not this equivalent to the pur-
chase of more aeres7 Farmers ere often heard
to cxplaim 's0h that / were rich enough to
buy little more land, then could Eatten mere
cattle and sheep; and could carly more grain
TO matke." Now, to such men, at least to
some of item, we beg leave TO say, your farms
are already larger than you suppose. You seem
to think that your ownership extends only six
inches deep into the earth; but this is IA misap-
prehenson. Ii is not very strange, however,
since all the former owners Of the soil had the
same idea, and the Indians from whom your an
cestors bought or stole the land we're content
with only the surface, just euoueh to huut up
on and to grub few roors out of. But this is
all mistake, as you will see on refecton.-
Examine the title deeds to your land and see
if there is any limit 10 your rights in down
ward direction. Ycu will not find any; We
kno8 You won't
Now, therefore, do not fear TO go at oues aud
take possession of the rest of your farm. Its
virgin soil, covered over with only few inches
Of partly worn land; aud it will return you fno
crops if you will ouly lay it open to the sup
and air, or mix it with the soil you have long
cultivated. Perhaps it viii poi be wise for you
to try 10 use it all the first year; use little
moderation in entering upon yonr new property,
fer your own sake and for lie farms sake. [Go
connection with the advice here given, il may
De we'll for the reader 10 turn back to page II
tAIarch No.,) and study what is said sbout
ploBing deep aud plowing shallow-ED.I Here
Is what some writer has said on the subject
not strictly correct perhaps, but highly sugges-
tive: CAT the present time, the average crop
of wheat per sc re in Great Britain, on a soil
cultivated ior centuries, is about doubled that
produced on the comparatively new soil of Ohio
Why is this! Simply because the leading Brit
ish farmers arc educated men, anl apply their
work wisely. They pay back to the earth what
they borrow from her; they eudeayor by every
means in their power to enrich their ground
aud in return il enFiehes them. Ii American
farmers, instead OF laboring to double the mum
her of their acres, would endeagor 10 double
their crops. they would find It saving Of tine
and toll, and an increase Of profit. Mlny men
never think of digging ten inches into the soil,
unless they have dreamed about 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 divinaton"
We once heard Of some remarkable s.rawber-
ries raised il a neighbOriug town, and called
The "Washiogton Excelsior" strawberry. Ru-
said that the leaves we're large, wildly green
all Summer, the frnit large and abundant for
long time, and not diminished by the severest
drouths. The plants were sold at half dollar
apiece, and were considered cheap at that price
Attracted By these wonderful stories of the uew
fruit, We went to see i; aud learn all about il.
The plauts were indeed beautiful, and the fruit
very fine. But our eyes we're opened when
Mr.. Smith, the owner, told US frankly, that the
plants we're some common sort, the name IF
which be had forgotten, bat that they were
grown on bed in the corner of bis garden which
was made ground, for al least six feet deep
Why did not this account for the persistent YER
dure Of the foliage and the size and abundance
of the fruita Yet, the superior beauty Of the
plants and berries had attracted much attention
in tha neiehborhood and seemed to call for
high-soundipg name; and so Mr.. Smith dubbed
them the Washington Excelsior. Plainly, this
mans strawberry bed was enlarged without
fencing in more land.