The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-12-11
The True system of Farming.

Trying to do too much is a common
error into which the farmer often falls
His great eagerness in striving to be rich
lis doubtless the cause of the error. HI
lis ambitious, and forms plans on a larger
scale, and often, perhaps, without count
ling the cost. He buys a large farm, and
wants to be called s'large farmer, anc
often without understanding or consider
ing the true elements that constitute {
real farmer. lie fancies .he greatness o
that profession, as is too often the com
mon estimate, to be in proportion to tn,
number of acres, MOTTO say cultivated
but embraced within the boundaries O
his domain. q
A large farm does not necessarily max,
a man rich, contented and happy; but, OF
the contrary, the revease, unless wei
titled, when his labor is rewarded with
fair success in the various departments il
which he is engaged. To realize full
benefit Of his profession, farmer mus
adopt a thorough system of culture. Sue
cess depends upon the manner in which
he prepares his ground, plants his seed
and rears his stock. Neither of these de
partments will take care of itself. The
soil may be rich, but it needs culture
His seeds may be sown, but it should be
in due time, and always on soil we'll pre-
pared and of a suitable quality for the
production of the crops required; and his
stock must be constantly cared for. The
farmers better judgment must be con-
stantly exercised in keeping up this sys-
tenn of reciprocal benefits. i,
The very corner stone Of the whole
system of farming is to do what you do
thoroughly. Nature will not be cheated,
and never gives full returns to halfway
work that is practiced by many farmers.
If the land has been worn, the extent Of
that exhaustion and the requirements
must first be considered; and when ascer-
tanned, the full measure of these require
ments must be given to bring out good
returns.
And with the labor-two men cannot
suitably till one hundred acres of land,
when the labor of two men, and perhaps
four, might be proftably employed on
seventy five acres. This is the great err
ror in farming. Two men strive to do
what four can hardly do, and thus hun
dreds of acres are but half titled and pro-
duce but half crops. The land is run
over till worn out, and made to sustain,
year after year, the unnatural tax, till its
energies are exhausted, and it will remain
SO till the first elements of its power is
returned. This is especially the case in
many of the western and southern States.
The great boast of the West is the
large farms and large fields of grain;
plow, sow and reap is the business of the
western farmers, drawing out the very
life of the soil and sending it away in the
heavy exports that are constantly going
onward: and returning but very little te
the soil to make it productive.
The light that is being spread abroad
on this subject is beginning to correct
this practice to some extent. When til
lers of the soil understand their true in.
terests, they will cultivate no more than
they can do we'll. Fifty acres of land fol
tillage, brought to high state of cult
vation, pay better than one hundred rur
over in the way that many do.