The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-03-02
The True System of Farming,

Trying'to do too -much is a common
error,into which the farmer often falls
His great easerness in striving to be rich
IS doubtless the cause Of his error. He is
ambitions and energetic, and forms his
plans on large scale, too often, perhaps,
without counting the cost. He buys a
large farm and wants to be called "large
farmer" without understanding or consider.
ing the true elements that constitute real
farmer. He iancies the greatness of that
profession, as is too often the common
estimste, to be in proportion to the num-
Der OF acres, not to say cultivated, en-
braced within the. boundaries of his do
main. The fact is now being spread
abroad. that a large farm does not make a
man either rich, contented or happy, but
an the contrary. the reverse of all these,
unless well titled, where his labor is re-
warded = ample crops and fair success in
the various departments in which he is en-
gage. No farmer can realize the fnll bene
fits of his profession without adopting a
thorough system of culture His success,
commensurate to his wishes, always de-
ponds upon the manner in which he pre-
pares his grounds, plants his seeds, and
rears his stock. Neither Of these depart
ln"ats, which may be considered the car
dnal ones Of his profession, will take care
of themselves. The soil may he rich, but
il needs culture. His seed may be sown,
but it should be in due time, and always
on soil we'll prepared, and Of suitable
quality for the production of the crop de-
sired. His stock must be constantly cared
fort derives its thrift from the soil, and
sends again to that soil the sustenance it
requires but this is not done in loose or
hap hazard way. The farmers care is re-
CURED, and all his better judgment must be
exercised in keeping mp This system ofre-
ciprncal benefits that may he realized by
every intelligent and industrious farmer.
Thorough cultivation and systematic
attention to all parts Of his business is in
dspensible to good degree of success.
The very corner -stone to this whole sys.
TEN Of farming, is to do what you do
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS will n t he cheated,
and never give full returns to the half way
work that is practiced by vastly too many
calling themselves farmers. If the land
has been worn. the extent of that exhaus-
ton and the food required must he frat
considered. When ascertained, the full
MEASURE of these requirements must be
given, to bring out iull returns. If the
farm has but small stock, and conse-
quently but small amount Of manure to
rep|ensh his land, it is obvious that but
small farm can be supplied with it: and
good Judgment Mt once dictates that to
cultivate properly large farm, artificial
manur"s must be used if good crops are
obtained. And so with the labor; two
men cannot suitably till one hundred acres
of land, when the labor of two, and per-
haps four, might be profita y employed
on sevsnty-five acres.
This is the great error in farming Two
men strive to do what four can hardly do,
and thus thousands of acres are run over,
hatf titled, and producing half crops. The
land is run over till worn out, sustaining
year after year the annual tax, till it's ener-
ges are entirely exhausted, and il fails to
yield even feeble crop, because its life is
worn out.
Tn" light that is being spread abroad on
this subject is beginning to correct this
practice to some extent, but in most in-
stances very little is returned to the soil
to keep it alive, till after several years of
continual cropping it manifes's signs of
exhaustion aud ultimate barrenness.-
When tillers of the soil understand their
true interests, they will cultivate no
more of the land than they can do WE'LL
Fifty acr of laDd f,r llllage brought to a
high state Of cultivation, pays better than
one hundred run over in the way that
that many do Exchange.