Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-10-05
Toe RIuch Land.
Il Ii ia conntrE. above al othsrs

Ia til is country, above all others, land
good, tillabie, fertile land, is abundant
and cheap. This reason, perhaps more
than any other, has caused our farmers to
fall into the erroneous mutton that they
could rot have too much land or in
other words, thar they could not own and
cultivate 100 large farms for profit. This
ong-establshed idea, that in order to be
successful as tlllsr oil tho soil one must
cultivate large tract of land, has been
over and over prac tioally exploded. We
know from experience that farmers are as
class timid, careful, conservative men
not given to wild speeulationa, averse
to any, or at least sudden. changes in
bus isess. They like the old well-beaten
path. When they have little money to
invest they are very apt to buy more land
and without any additional help they try
to cultivate it in addition to the old farm.
In looking back for a score Of years We
notice that the facilities for performing
farm labor have been wonderfully increas-
ed. The genius of progress has not.
made greater advances in any department.
of productive industry than In that os
agriculture The number of valuable
labor-saving implements for farm and
garden that have been brought into
practioaluse within few years has been
legion, and the natural result should
have been everywhere, deeper, maaal
thorough aud better tillage; but~iSs1
we fnd our farmers buy more
continue as before the same loos
Cling cultivation. Iu the Eaall
Middle Stalea, VI th few exeeptioi
fsrms are too large. Double tue
Of land is occupied aad cropped N
fashion, than ought to be, with the ~
and capita he owner can command
Manure and attention to the crop, is
applied too thinly and sparingly to pro-
duce marked and profitable results :,
besides, on large farms worked with little i.
help, a great amount Of time 10 spent IN
travel. Farmers would be surprised if
they could have the aotaal time, in days
and hours. placed before tkem which they
spend in the course Of one year in use
less travel oyer their large farms.
Again. on large farms cut int numer-
GUS lots by excessive fences, a fter the
old method, 11e time and labor spent in
looking after and keeping in repair these
fences, equals, in many cases. one third
the ne proceeds of the entire farm. Con-
oantration is what we need. Less land,
less travel, more labor, more manure, and
more intelligence to understand the posi-
bilities and the demands of each crop =
Our farmers must undertake to do less
and to do it better. IF they would sell
or give away a part Of their land and then
double the labor and manure for the
balance, they would End the credit side
OF their bank account increased and there
would be less complaining that farming
don't pay. Ifpropsrly conducted, there
is 70 business more permanently profta~
Die than farming There slways is and
always will be demand for the products
Of the farm. When men lesrn in this
business, as they soon learn in every
other, that they must not undertake to do
more than tAey can do we'll, then win
they prosper, and the sons of farmers
will learn to love their vocation, and not
be possessed of an itching desire TO 60
iato store.
Our English. Sweae and German eu-
grant farmers are teaching the Ameriesn
people some valuable lessons in farming.
he chief Of which is that small farms are
more profitable than large ones. They
selieye in special crops, plenty Of manure
lad stirring the soil often. Let US head
he Lesson. Cor. Country Gentlemaa.