Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-04-30
~ EDMUND MORRIS, BURLINGTON. y. !.
Happy the man whose wish and care
\ few y .ternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air
On his own .,round.r


On his own ground"
The newspapers of New York inform us,
that, in that city, there are thousands of idle |
men vanly seeking employment. One of
them exhorts the surplus population to dis
perse, saying that the world does not need
so many clerks and statesmen, book keepers
and music-teachcrs there being too many
persons in the cities, and too few on farms
and in rural work shops. Thus numbers
are compelled to exc ont Il scanty living,
while Others undergo priyations of body
and mind which make existence one long
and agOnizing struggle against absolute star
vation The advice to all these is to dis
pcrse, to go into the country, TO get land
but, anyhow, to 60 into the country. The
great city referred to has undoubtedly be
come the most expensive place of residence
in the civilized world. Many families pay
ten thousand dollars year for board alone,
and tenants are practically worElng eXclu-
sively for the landlords, for rents have gone
up 10 frightiul figures. Marketing is on the
most eXtravagant scale. Every year, hum
drcds Of families abandon the city in disgust
for some suburb which turns ont 10 be quite
rs expensive as residence, with the add.
tional annoyance OF being an hour or two
in trditsitu between contingencies and
home.
1t is Just in such times of businesses eprcs-
sion in the great cities, ur when prices OF
the neccssaries Of life rule cxiraygantly
high that mutitudcs become DESTROYS Of
dispensing by removal to the country, and
of acquiring small tract of land which
they can call their own. No matter ii it be
but Il single acre, it will be to them farm.
They are worn out With the battle of Il city
life and, with the rosilum OF former uliu-
cnGc, seek to secure Il moderate living, So
that it be II sure one. They argur that the
earth produces the very food for which they
pay SO cNoibitantly in tile city; and thai
that business, mt least, is not overdOue
Their land will certainly Yield enough fol
family consumption, with something owe
t for the grocer aud butcher. OF the high
priced fruits, 81, which III Tie city they rare
~ ever had enough, they now see unl;mIte,
abundance in the glowing future.
No wonder that seasons Of financial dill
, Guilty drive mllttudps into the country
Land is Still amazingly cheap nj points with
in few hours travel Of the best markets il
; the world; but II cannot always c0utinu
! So Population doubles every twenty years
hut no one can double the number OF acres
Immigration pours in upon US, much of
dispensing in pursuit Of land Hence
$ must crrtaiulv become dcnrcr 1t wou
he wrong 10 counsel the man Of modcrui
+, capital 10 run deeply into debt for land, I'm
:, less it will Immediately produce somcihn
i toward maintaining him; but he is wis
c who manages to become the owner Of som
i spot Of earth. even lift be held ia rcscrv
i, for future occupancy
Men thus breaking away from city life wi
Q sometimes realize their utmost expectation.
It while others will utterly fail to do so. Mos
n of them expect too much; neither are tho
sufficiently patient. Our plants grow Slow
", and some require years before shown
Z fruit. This contrasts strangely with Il
!, fast life they have been living undc tie ga
"a lights. Instead Of so tardy a realization
they expected an immediate return. Son
: begin with insufficient means for what the
is undertake they buy more land than til,
If can manage, and reserve too small worl
- ing capital. Embarrassment in some for
is the consequence; and discouragemcl
!, and abandonment follow, sometimes resul
l. ing in actual loss One year ago, youi
l. man came fresh from the city, and purchase
!, very desirable farm of thirty acres of mo
q" superior soil, with genteel buildings, AZ
farm appliances complete. He selected Ii
b location with Judgment, three miles fro
l. This city, and about one from a railroad st
Ia, ton. The land was more extensive
stocked with standard fruits than any sin
= lar tract for many miles around and fri
rs was to be the new oW ners speciality. The
ia were over thirteen hundred standard trees
the choicest varieties of fruits, all in full bcr
y ing. His seven hundred pears and apples hi
yielded TO tho former owner some proc
Nc gious crops. All that was required To mai
N. this an absolutely perfect frult-iarm was Il
planting Of IL dozen acres Of berries. Son
4 OF these the enthusiastic owner proceed
he IT, set out The plants throve well; hut I
il season proved to lie rainy beyond all form
lac experience in New Jersey, and the emit
product of this his first year was SO mcau
hc as to entirely dishearten him. lie had liy
lX too long on pavemcnts and under the q
M lights to understand that every season
10 made up of varying vicissitudes. lie Ii
relied on itch returns as being immcdii
= and sure in fact, he had expected too mut
Ii His moderate working capital was cXhau
IN cd and he now turns round and desires
sell. That accomplished, he goes back
% the gas lights, not ruined, but, though W
r Il magnificent establishment in his hands, d
ms w season. Under as active IA manager,
Il possessed Of greater working-capital, the
" sui would satisfy any reasonable ambii,
nd If this were called failure, the tc
nd would he a misnomer. The same longct
PC. tinucd dcluge swamped the crops over
!, large extent of country. But though Ii
nc was in many cases the result yet it was l
I'D disheartening; for there was the sustanil
" power of sufficient capital TO fall back upc
IL Others, even with abundant means, la
~ everything to learn. OF small things viii
Oh sometimes decide the question Of success
to failure, they know nothing hence they Il
for time and opportunity, and the expect
II profit fails to appear Practice is to ma
up them perfect; but practice requires lin
he Their neighbors gather universally 20
in crops, thrive, and become rich, yet VIC
he no harder, neither is their land Of bet
- quality. But the practice of years has ma
~ them perfect in whatever they undertal
be These old stagers never expect too nut
It'll Another class willso diversity their farmi