The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-11-20
FOR THE JOURNAL.
Practical Observations, No. |.

FOR THE JOURNAL.
Practical Observations, No. |.
In late number of your paper OBJ
served an Article taken from the Wells
borough paper on the subject Of cheese
factory, with some suggestions ofyour own,
in which I felt deeply interested. Not
that l believe all the statements in that
article, as the products per cow as there
stated, are too much by at least one-ffth.
Neither do think that Coudersport or any
other section of our county is in want of a
cheese factory at present There is harlly
cows enough in the whole county to wet
such an institutiou,t to say nothing of profits.
The reason Of my feeling interested in that
article is because it treats of a subject of
the deepest interest to the farmers Of the
county. The statements relative to the
condition and prospects of the county con-
tanned in it, though greatly disheartening,
are nevertheless true. Not only IS the pop
ulation decreasing, bnt we are growing
poor. Yes, sir, with few exceptions the
farmers are growing poorer every year. This
may not be apparent to every one, but on
f,n tLon,sor,.os 49, o'0 =
TLo ,nan mloso rn.r...., o..-.. r
,.,a,, Iara-;.si ',,,' P,olI1'J Io''',9'' Il9 u
,V Go',(o" eGDI ''.' ~ n' 'liei9 d
;n.s1. '','g J,gl f.o,, n0 !,'"y use 'lie
continue to be worth just so much. But,
every 'en' % '''' P'''~'P P'' O''''"" " OuI a"u
used makes iii''' 50 'i'Isn Pooiei' ana unless
ne ADDS To the deposit he soon comes 10
Waut. Precisely so Is 1t with every Iand
owner IN the world: Ihe soil contains
certain amount OF the material drawn from
1t IN the form OF oats buckwhaat, potatoes,
and the Ike, and no more. 1t Is just as
sure that the man who continually extracts
these fruits from the earth and returns
nothing to 1t will become poor, as In the
other case
Now here is just our case: Though our
county Is comparatively new country, yet
much Of the cleared land IS already exhaust
ed and will hardly bear white beans. The
original settlers OF the county came here
from the iorder counties Of New York, and
were not men of means. When a little
land was cleared, 1t was found it could be
PIowed and PIow they did. Oats be-
came leading crop and were raised
IN abundance Perhaps no country in
the world ever produced that variety Of
grain IN greater abundance One hundred |
bushels have been raised from an acre. The
average during the early settlement, on
new land would fall but little below that.
On the large streams numbering was extern
slyely carried on, thus atfording good mar
ket tot oats and hay and stimulating the
farmer to raise all he could. This brief
statement Is the explanation Of the cause
OF the present condition Of the farming in
tercst in our county. 1t is safe to say
that not more than one hundredth part Of
the improved lands have ever smelt the
odor Of any kind Of fertilizer. A system
of farming has been followed from which
only exhaustion and consequent poverty
must result Now Mr.. Editor, | am no
croaker-don't believe in grumbling, it
does no good. But | agree with you that
something must be done or we shall take
long step backwards. If the farmers get
poor 1t will be hard work for merchants,
lawyers or editors to get very rich
Now l propose IN the first place that
our county paper wake up on the subject
Election Is over, so there will be no need
OF filing Its columns with political mattpr !