The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-08-24
LESS LAND OR MORE LABoR-wHIcHi

Der every laDd.'
LESS LAND OR MORE LABOR-WHICHl
We are not one OF those who indiscrimi-
nately recommend small farms. We fear
there is a tendency in small farms 10 make
small men; and we deprecate the idea that
the farmer is to be man to be looked dawn
upon by men in other callings There has
been enough Of that in the history Of this
world, and we want to see the tables turned.
Nevertheless it would be better to fail Of
living from hundred.
In another place we have intimaied that
| il is cheaper to make land more productive
than to wear it out, as the phrase is; and
that il we impoyerish it. il impoverishes us.
Something like demonstration Of this would
CRAFTY some OF our readers. This we will
attempt; and what we have to say shall be
in close connection with our motto, Less
land or more labor.
That il is cheaper To raise a farm TO
higher than to sink it to lower productive
ness is our proposition and what we mean
| bv it is, not that il costs more labor to di-
minish than to increase the productive power
Of the soil. but that il does require more
unpaid labor to wear out a soil by a ten years
cultivation than to enhance its productive
ness in the same time.
To simplify as much az may be, we will
suppose here are three acres, arabic land,
now in turf. and of fair quality, TO be cul-
tiyated respectively by A, B, and q. for the
next ten years. A is calculating, thinking
farmer, in no way extrayagant, but willing
i to expend money and labor where he sees
a reasonable prospect of return with profit.
Is is a careful soul, willing TO labor, but as
shy u all other expenses for crops as Of the
4 itch. G takes 1t easy. and will reap what
his land will give without giving il back much
OF either labor or manure.
Indian corn, we will suppose to be the
crop the first year turns over the turi
in November to a gOol drpth harro~s in
fifty loads Of compost in the spring, made,
it NAV be, of twenty loads Vt barn manure,
and thirty loads OF some thing which his in.
dustry and integrity have gathered up at .
! cheap rate ;or the purpose; plants the bes'
variety of corn that he can get any certain
knowledge Of, about the middle Of March ;
tends the crop well and gets eighty bushels
to the acre.
B wants all his manure for other crops,
and thinks the turf land will do pretty well
without manure. Tie piows in March. live
or six inches deep. but very nicely. Ills
team is not strong enough TO pow much
deeper; anil as far paving for extra team
work and manure 10 warm the deep soil that
would be plowed up, he cannot think OF II
Farming. in his opinion. is not business e
spend money in. but 10 get money by. But
he plants in good season. tends the corn well
all summer; and gets thirty bushels.
takes IL easy plows when il Is most
convenient; plants aud hoes when nothing
hInders; dnes the work shabhiiy, according
to his won't; and mare by proyidential favor
than by his skill or industry, gets sixteer
bushels of decent corn and plenty Of Pis
ears.
Now B has done more work than G;
has expended more labor than either, be
sides eosily manuring ; aud IL the race ende'
here they might not come out so very une
qually.
But suppose all three TO follow the corr
crop with rye. and seed with clover, herds
!, grass and redtop in April. II is not unrea
! sonable TO suppose that A will get twenty
/ five bushels Is will have nothing 10 com
: plain Of il lie gets fifteen bushels. u & get
more than ten he ought to be thankful. Bl
these crops cost one no more than the 0ther
And now Ais fairly ahcad-has been bette
. paid for bis outlay. But this Is only the be
ginning.
The third year A gets two and hall tom
: 0f hay B one and three fonrths, and g no
more than one and half at best besides
2 that, AS acre will pasture COW well iron
the middle Of July TO winter, whereas th'
feed on B's and C's is Of but little worth
: Next year the disparity will be still greater
: il all three acres are kept TO Craze withou
further manure. AS acre will produce NOR,
value. though perhaps less quantity, both o
hay and fall feed, than the previous year
: Us grass will have nearly. aud C's quite rui
out. Neither will be much more than wortl
> cutting, aud a. FOR Gall feed, COWS that ar,
condemned TO il will give little milk an,
: less butter; and il they have plnck, will b
: apt TO break fence aud seek better fare. es
$ pecially thusc on G's premises. where th'
fences cannot be expected TO be over ans
above good. We suppose our readers hav'
noticed that poor fences generally keep con
lpany with shallow culture aud poor feed, ui
ihe principle that :" Birds Of feather vii
llock together"
! BY this time The expenses 81 rs and O.
! cultivation will have been more than half a
!, much as that Of a. and As return will hayi
more than doubled theirs. Nor is this all
as lspd has now deeper, richer turf thai
iheirs--is IL Ear better condition for anUths
round Of crops.
We intended 10 have gone through witt
the remaining ak years. but Il is unuecessa
~. Our readers will understand that Il cal
eulatiur A. and earafut II. and careless