Smyrna times., 1869-08-04
The Capacity of am Acre.

Previous to the building of the Camden and
Amboy railroad through New Jersey, over thir-
ty years ago, there were tracts of land within
two miles of Burlington, N. j., which were sold
at SIS to $40 an acre. The reason for these low
prices was the simplest one imaginable-they
did not produce the interest of she money they
cost. Now some of this very land is selling at
over SlOO per acre, without buildings The
cause OF this advance in prices is equally plain
the land now produces much more than the
interest on its cost.
In any location where land can be made to
produce the interest of S. 900 per acre it would
seem safe to purchase it at 5000. Though
many acres around Burlington have produced
and are still producing such returns, yet all are
not. Some are very far exceeding it, while
others are falling below, according to the crops
cultivated and the skill and industry applied.
1t is to be observed, in this connection, that
the best returns are realized by perseverance,
continuing at the business for term of years,
until fruits, if fruit culture be adopted, have
come into full bearing A trial of single year,
amounts to nothing if then abandoned, as the
first year, on even an old farm, is generally one
of mere preparation for the second. The first
may pay profit but not often.
Long experience in thousand places has
shown that an acre of land can be made to pay
the interest on very large sum. Mr.. Leon
|
the interest of S., 900, and from grapes the in.
terest of 81 900 per acre. Both these may be
regarded standard crops, not liable to casu
atty, especially, asparagus. In our neighbor
hood some remarkable results have been secur
ed from standard fruit crops There is an acre
of blackberries on the farm of Mr.. Dulty which
has produced the interest of over $8, 500 gros
no doubt of 81, 900 net.
|, The owner of three acre field of purple can
, raspberries told me that his sales in one season
produced him the interest of $25, 1000 gross
! Large fields of even perishable strawberrie
: have been made pay the net interest of $4, ,50(
per acre. There is field of two and a. hal
acres of black berries near me, containing TWEEN
ty SIX hundred plants, which last year produce
, the interest of very nearly $50, 900 net. Their
can be no mistake about this last crop. But
r was altogether exceptional, not likely ever to b
repeated, as berries were then high, and Will
: other growers had few or none, this field Dor
It abundantly.
i, The value of land is to be measured by il
\ productiveness, not by its price. All the pay
1 ing returns above recited were obtained by goo
It ordinary cultivation, not by forcing or extrav
RI CANT outlay. Had these been resortsd to IL
e return would have undoubtedly exceeded ii
extra cost. But the owners planted, cultivated
S and waited until their paintings came into bea
1t ing. Such waiting is sometimes inconveniel
Sc to men of moderate means but men wait lon
If er for legacies which are much less valuabl
er Thus grapes asparagus and the cane produ
Is ing berries are seen to yield larger interest
l. money invested in them, even on high price
'e land, than can possibly be realized from 10,
t priced land where 10 such markets as ours a
e. within reach. The land at $500 per acre
re such a market is cheaper than that at s
le without the market. The one acre pays inte
est on the cost OF ten acres, while the other pa
OF interest only on its own COST But time and p
tience are required to realize such returns.
is he who endures to the end that succeed
not he who plants and Immediately quits.
Hearth and Home