Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-06-21
Agritnltnral.
Thorough Cultivation.

But very few farmers in our country rea-
lie the Importance of thoroughly cultiva-
ting tie soil At the West, farmers cover
a vast amount of territory, simply taking
what nature produces, until the soil is worn
out, and then move to new land to go
through the same process again. At the
East, although farming has been better
conducted, and some attention has been
paid to improvement yet, even there the
land is not thoroughly cultivated-does
not produce one-half as large crops as it is
capable, with thorough cultivation, OF pro-
ducing. Under the system of farming
which is generally practiced in this country,
the land wears out and the crops diminish
in quantity and quality. We know of large
fields in the Connecticut River Valley"
one of the best tracts Of farming land in
this country, which have been rendered al
most worthless by the wretched system of
farming, which the owners followed. At
the South, as we'll as the West, and some
parts of the East, the "skinning" process
has been carried on until much of the land
is almost worthless.
Although our country has rapidly In
creased 10 wealth and prosperity, and IN a
comparatively short time become one OF the
mightiest powers on earth and this pros
perity and power have been in great
measure due to the agricultural employ
ments of the people, yet if the system OF far
ming now so extensively practiced contin-
ues to be pursued, the time will come when
instead of sending a vast quantity of grain
to foreign lands, we shall be obliged to i'm
port for our own use That time may seem,
and undoubtedly is,very far distant yet il
our population should, in proportion to the
present number of inhabitants, increase as
fast for a century to come as 1T has for
century past, and the mighty tide of immi-
grafton also continue, and the same system
of farming be continued, the truth of our
supposition will be realized But if our
soil was thoroughly cultivated there would
be room and food for untold millions Chi
ma and Japan support millions OF mhabl-
tants on an almost incredible small area OF
land. Our soil with the same thorough Cul-
tivation and the same amount of tertlllzlng,
would do the same This is not mere the
ory, but a fact the truth of which has often
been demonstrated
Many of our readers can recall instances
where "a farmer with few acres of land,
which he thoroughly cultivated, made more
ted in the usual manner. And what has
been done on an individual, may also be
done on a national scale With thorough
cultivation, and the proper application Of
manure, large crops can be obtained, and
the land will steadily increase in value
We believe the great trouble with most far
mers is this--they hare too much land. Prob
ably two-thi-ds of the farmers of our coun-
try would be benefited by selling from
one.third to one-half their land, and thor
Oughly cultivating the remainder. They
now plant so much that they cannot prop
erly tend it, and as a natural consequence,
weeds spring up, which lnjure the crop and
the land, and cause much trouble in future
years. This should not be the case weeds
should have no place on any farm. We are
we'll aware that the extreme high prices Of
farm produce for few years past has In
duced many farmers to plant more land
than usual but now we think the high
price of labor, with the downward tenden-
cy of prices, should induce them to do their
work in a more thorough manner. The
maxim, Anything that is worth doing at
all is worth doing well" )" is worthy the at
tention of every farmer 1t is far more
profitable to thoroughly cultivate small
farm, than to go over,in slovenly manner,
large one.
The fences cost much less on a small
farm than on a large one and there is less
care and anxiety connected with it. With
thorough cultivation, we believe the same
amount of grass, grain and fruit can be
grown, and the same amount of stock kept
on fifty acres. for which one hundred are
now required. The advice we give our
readers who are farmers is this Do not
buy land unless you absolutely need it. If
you now have more than you can thorough
ly cultivate and can get reasonable price
for it, sell 1t at once. Thoroughly cultivate
all your farm, use manure unsparingly, and
make it your aim to get the largest possi-
bic returns from every acre of land you
own. This will, we think, lead you to GER
tain success in your occupation.