Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-07-30
The Capacity of an Acre.

Previous to the building of the Camden
and Amboy railroad through New Jersey,
over thirty 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 the money they
cost. Now some of this very land is selling
at over 800 per acre. without buildings
The cause of this advance IN prices is
equally plain-the land now produces
much more than interest ON its cost.
In any location where land can be made
to produce the interest of 81 900 per acre
it ould seem safe to purchase it at $500.
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 realizing by perseverance,
continuing at the business for term of
years, until fruits, if fruit culture be adopt
ed, have come into full bearing. A trial
of single year amounts to nothing If then
abandoned, as the first year, OF even an
old farm, is generally one Of mere prepa-
ration for the second. The first may pay q
profit, but not often.
Long experience in a thousand places
has shown that an acre of land can be made
to pay the interest on very large sum-
Mr.. Leonard, ofMonmouth, obtained from
asparagus the interest Of So, coo, and from
grapes the interest OF $1,000 per acre.
Both these may be regarded as standard
crops, not liable to casualty, especially
asparagus. In our neighborhood some re-
HI rs
standard fruit crops. There is an acre of
blackberries on the farm of Mr. Duty
which has produced the interest of over
49, 500 gross-no doubt of 1000 net.
The owner of three-acre field of purple
cane raspberries told me that his sales
in one season produced him the interest Of
$25, 600 gross. Large fields of even per-
ishable strawberries have been made to
pay the net interest of 81 500 per acre.
There is field of two and a half acres Of
blackberries near me, containing twenty
six hundred plants, which last year produ-
ced the interest of very nearly $780,, 200 net.
There can be no mistake about this last
crop. But it was altogether exceptional,
not likely ever to be repeated, as berries
were then high, and while other growers
had few or none this field bore abund-
antly.
Inc Valu0 OF lanu Is TO De measured Dy
its productiveness, not by its price. All
the paying returns above recited were OBJ
tanned by good ordinary cultivation, not
by forcing or extravagant outlay. Had
these been resorted to the return would
have undoubtedly exceeded the extra cost.
But the owners planted, cultivated, and
waited until their paintings came into
jbearlng. Such waiting is sometimes in
convenient to men of moderate means !;
but men wait longer for legacies which are
much less valuable. Thus grapes, aspara
gus and the cane-produeing berries are
seen to yield larger interest for money
invested in them, even on high-priced
land, than can possibly be realized from
low priced land where no such markets as
ours are within reach. The land at $500
per acre in such market is cheaper than
at $40 without the market. The one acre
pays interest on the cost of ten acres, while
the other pays interest Only on it's own
cost. But time and patience are required
to realize such returns. 1t is he who en-
dures to the end that succeeds not he who
plants and Immediately quits.
Hearth and Home.