Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-03-13
Agricultural.

LARGl. CRcrs vs. LARGE FARNs-It la, been
ie' sely remarked If our farmers. instead ol Ia.
horing 10 d,uhle their acres. would endesyur to
double their crops. hey would find It il vast
saving OF time and toll, and increase of
profits
Is 1t true Is the secret OF successful ftrn,
ing what It h"5 been declared to be-"4!lch
labor little LAM = t-p 10 a certain l,,.tt
we believe II Ia be 20 \ few farmers are sue
ceSsiuI, because they posSess n soil naturally
rich ia every element OF ierl4iItv. and suited IN
character aud situation 10 the growth of inrg,.
and profitable crops, hut these farms f,rrp but
small portion "i he whole surface under cul-
Jivaisou Most sc!ls need some i,nproYer.., n.
aud observation-disclosures ~, draining and ma
nuriug. order 10 ihelr highest pr,,iuetiveness:
and al need careful cultivation a, least 10 keen
out noA.uts weeds lhe ';liort4s and thi~tles'
with which tie earth was cursed for our sake
with too many farmers, the acres posses
sion q" not come nearly up 1" the productive
nes- which might be attained Doubling the
crop" would be thought a very simple under
taking 10y tie progressive farmer he would
merely add sufficient labor IN the preparation
of the suIl tn give the product 10 which he
would devote Il fair chauCe-depth of soil ai,-
proprlate food. freedom from weeds. stc-and
the weld would be doubled al once. That far
meT viii he most successful who. by a wise e1-
TeHdIture of labor AMI capital. gives Ia the land
he cultivates like character with tho.a most
productive. not forgetting also bV clean cul-
turr. To- concentrate the whole energy of the
SOIL ON the crop. Artificial means must be en-
ploved To- give depth and hnenessrto hard and
shallow s'HIs and Il course of manurIng aud
cdlture adapted to add the elements Of fertility
to sterile aud impoverished ones. Siagnant
er. that enemy to All vegetation of a Or. h,a-
hle character. must he drained Off and reten-
ilse s"ll- thus ame!ioraicd. Light sands. ask
for addition -: c.lceruus or aluminuus char
acter. to give them better consistency for cult
varinn. The hill sides and knobs have Ion,
contributed from their soluble and floating ele-
mrnts OF vegetable matter 10 fill the adjacent
marshes; ; let these return their rich deposits
of m ck aud partial exchange Of soils woull
be injury.
Ihe passion f,r more land Is one which
works incalcnlable injury 10 American agricul-
ture. IL crowds ru; OF farming many who
would otherv l>e engage IA it-ulany whn. wee
small farms more readily attainable would do
good service tn the culture OF the soil, and IN
the elevation nf the character Of our farming
population. Ii the great mass uf FARMERS wound
engage the laudahle enterprise of doubling
their crops. they would soon lind at homo
for all their outside invest tpleuiS-an excuse FIR
selling off thai portion of their land which tLcy
had not ample means 1" culitvate-woul soou
find that they were making more money. and
doing a more plea-ant and satisfactory business
than under their former system We are gla
To see the idea gaining ground that farming
cannon b. carried on without capital. enterprise
and Intelligeucc-aui that 1t opens a fair field
OF the uobl-st enduwmcnt7 of the human mind
Let us then he les cnvtt"us of surfi.c-.f
larg farms and broad plant i"ns-a,.d more
al xiuuS for rolCctIvcne---a-l1ing for better
crops, finer animals. more serviceabe imple-
neut~. rather than one field more Why when
our tI;ie deed, cover all beneath Us. should We
not Tee auNiouS 10 Own and the suhsoIl IN
stead OF seeking {" enlarge outside bouuda-
rIcs ? Why say "more lands when our sterile
acres -, shame to skill ia farming what
We already possess. they give such Gueagfe
crops. Let L. farm thoroughly a few acres. aad
We IA Ill thus better prepare ourselves To farm
prof ably upon large scale.-Conntry Gei.Le-
man