The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-11-27

care we growing poor ?'' Our Practical
Observer asserts that We are. This must be q
mere matter of opinion, as there Is no census to
instruct us. On reading the practical Obser-
vations" a business man whose opportunities
for correct judgement are excellent assured me
that nine out of every ten of those with whom
he was acquainted had nearly doubled the value
of their property in five years. Considerable
Of this increase is to be attributed to the advance
in prices, and on suggesting this to him, he said
most of them had more property, regardless of
price, than at the commencement OF the war
Several others have also expressed similar views
and a dissentfrom the practical Observations"
and most heartily concur in this dissent, belleg-
ING those Observations were taken III a leaning
observatory or with instruments much i'll need
Of repair.
That there has been much Improbable farm
ing in our county, every one acquainted with
the subject viii readily admit. One ofthe most
Improbable of all farming operations Is TO stIll
raise the soil-eXhausting oats and sell them or
the farm, instead of by dairying and wool
growing, selling the most refined and valuable
products, aud enriching the soil by the cheap
est and surest of all methods, Pastrwng. Sew
1 eral of the leading capitalists of the county
contemplate building wonlen factory at Cou-
/ dersport Would 1t be valid objection to this
prospect to say that there is but little wool now
/ in the county? ool is one Of the products of
/ this region and would not only be kept here
till manufactured, if facilities were afforded,
but would be raised in greater abundance.
Cows also grow here, and are yearly bought up
and driven to localities no better for daIryng
than ours As well might we say that a rail-
road should not be built because no cars or To-
comotiyes are now ready to run upon it, or that
/ church and minister were not essential to a
thckly settled locality because but few church
members were there, as to say that region of
splendid dairylng capacity does not need a
cheese factory because but barely COWS enough
are now kept there to start it in operation. 1t
may be very impractical observation, but it
seems to me that the proprety OF a cheese fac
tory at 4 given point, is to be determined not so
much by the actual number of cows kept at that
particular time, as by the grazing capacity oE
The vicinity; the quality of its grasses and the
soflness of its ater.
| am acquainted with every neighborhood in
Potter county, vet do not know Of scarcely an
/ acre Of cleared land that would not, with fair
cultivation and without manure. raise a tolera-
blc crop of white beans. l could not cOnscl-
entiously say that "much of the cleared land"
would not without fertilizers raise 40 bushels
Of oats per acre, if well cultivated. A farmer
in Ulysses told me that so far as he had noticed,
the oldest cleared land produced best according
to the labor expended. | know of at least one
old farm Which was considered nearly worn out,
but having changed owners, produced this year
at least 81 bushels Of oats per acre, and that
without manure One gentleman whose Oppor-
tuniucs for knowing are unsurpassed stated
that the methods of farming and the fertility of
the soil had materially improved within five
years. Most of Practical Observations, so. ~
are very pertinent and will probably be useful,
but those points on which | commented are,
think, hardly warranted by facts.
That the population has decreased within the
past SIX years We have touching mementoes in
the sombre habliments of mourning all around
us. This featul work commenced in the pri-
yation, exposure and coutagion of the camp
while it was yet call quiet along the Potomac"
1t was carried forward on the unfortunate
Peninsula" and Autietam, Fredericksburg,
Chancelloryillc and Gettysburg continued the
defamation. The seythe of the destroyer still
remorselessly swung over bloody fields around
Petersburg, Richmond and Atlanta. while the
terrible gulfs Of Libby, Belle Isle, Salisbury
and Andcrsonville still yawned for the braveSt
and best men the world ever saw. We can
hardly realize that it is all past yet tearfully
do we acknowledge t at our numbers are not
Uubroken. The immortal glory that clusters
around those pale brows, though it soothes our
anguish OF spirit, cannot wipe out. our bereaye-
mcnl nor restore our martyred heroes Who
ever dreamed that this inevitable result of our
patriotism was reProach to our county, to be
recorded in the same sentence with Improbable
hu1hanGYv and General uutHriftiupSS LIS