The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-02-23
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Before that time, | do not doubt. the
same stern logic will induce those who
follow Us, not many generations, if so long
hence, IN tilling our fields here, to reclaim
the hundEcds Of acres now occupied by in
side fences and to find another invest
ment for the hundreds Of thousands Of
dollars, now invested in that article. And,
since this might be done even now, at no
greater expense than that Of herdinr or
confning cattle, which would be greatly
lessenod, if it would not be entirely defray-
ed, by the increased capacity Of a given
number OF acres Of grass to feed them, and
the increased amount Of manure secured,
it is by no means clear that it would not
be good economy to introduce, before it
may become necessary, that reformation
also. This, however, by the way. But
it IS unquestionablY a dictate Of economy,
to iatoo,lce at once u HtoroHH system Qt ILL
aye. No farmer, whatever land he may
have, should disturb the surface Of one a.
ere more than he can farm well. He should
remove everything in the way Of his imple-
ments, plow deep and subsoil, If need be,
drain, and thoroughly manure, one field
after another, until he has in a good state
Of cultivation a sufficient quantity of land
for purpose, which would be found great
ly less than he now farms" rs it is call
ed. The balance Of it, if he Is unwilling
that it should lay waste, he would find it
profitable to sell, or have it cultivated in
proper manner by his sons, instead of
lusting, as the custom is, after more land
for them.
This IS well illustrated by the oft-told
story Of man, whose entire estate consis-
ted of vineyard, and his family of two
daughters. On the marriage of one OF the
daughters, he gave her one-third Of the
vineyard; but he found that its yield was
not diminished with its size Afterwards
the other daughter married, and he gave
her another third. He was surprised to
find that the one-third which he retained,
still produced as much as the whole vine
yard had before yielded him. The secret
was, that the whole Of his labor and attcn-
ton, previously distributed over the whole,
were necdful to the fraction, and were after
wards confined to it, with the result of
thrce-fold increase. And, / have no doubt
many a farmer in this country might fur
nish Il similar marriage outfit to each OF
three Or four daughters, and make himself
no poorer. There are few, if any, here
present, [ am we'll persuaded, who would
not find it to their interest, to continc their
attention to a thorough cultivation of such
portion of their land, as they are able to
cultivate well And those who undertake
it Will take one important step forward,
with the progress Of the age.
III There is another error of our farm
ers which though not an equal, yet to some
extent, is not less general; and which, it
seems to me, nothing more than that the
attention should be directed to it, and re-
fection upon it excited is wanted to correct.
mean the habitual disregard or neglect of
what is tasteful and ornamental in the ar
rangement and care taken Of our farms, and
the fences and buildings upon them.
81 went by the field of the slothful and
by the vineyard of the man void Of under
Standing" says Solomon in the Proverbs,
''and, 10, it was all grown over with thoris,
and nettles had covered the face thereof,
and the stone wall thereof was broken