Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-04
SMALL FARMS VS.. LARGE
PLANTATIONS.

ton of our farming operations. An at
tempt to revive the old planting interests
has been made In various sections, anG
with various results. Perhaps it will be
conceded by all that this attempt has
succeeded only in those parts of the
South which are by soil and climate par.
ticularly adapted to some specially, as
tie culture of rice, cotton, tobacco OF
sugar. In other districts where this spe.
cial adaptation does not exist experience
seems to point out the necessity of opeI.
ating on new basis. A diversified bus
bandry, and the subdivision of the large
farms seem to be imperatively demand
ed. To the latter point l invite
the attention of all land owners and prac-
teal farmers. By the way, the course OF
events in our day, makes it perfectly
clear, that to hold large bodies of land
with the hope of becoming rich by rise
in price, is an G6surdity. Some men in
the Northwest already rich, have sue
ceeded in making themselves richer by
farming, on what might be called the
millionaire scale, but this is impracticable
for the multitude, aud anywhere, except
in lands of great natural fertility. In re-
gard to the whole subject, l observe
l. The taxes on improved and idle land,
and the loss of the interest of the money
invested in them are eating up the means
of our people. In the State of Tennes-
see, at least seven or eight tenths of all
the land in the State, is unimproved and
unproductive. Perhaps as much as three
fourths of this, is dead loss every year
to the owners. Now when a merchant
finds his shelves burdened with goods IN
saleable in regular trade, what does he
do3 Hold on, from year to year, until
the interest on the money eats up the
whole cspital9 By no means. He sells
out at cost. If he cannot do that, he
sells at auction. His object is to get the
use of his money. He makes money by
using it, and that is the only way for
any man to do it.
2. We must save our population as
well as our money. If a choice must be
made between the two, it is best for the
State to let the money go and keep the
people. There is some immigration
into Tennessee, but from all accounts,
there is great reason TO fear there is more
emigration out of it 1t may be set
down as an axiom that State that is not
good TO stay in is poor place to come
to. But lesving this view of the case,
let US take another. If the father of six
sons owns 600 acres, and there are no
cheap lands in his neighborhood
for them to buy, it is plain that
eventually he must divide with them
or they must emigrate. The wise course
in such q case, is for the father as his
SONS successfully become able to man
age farm, to give them q slice of his
land and settle them in his own neighbor-
hood. In the Tlch sections of Eastern
Pennsylvania, the contrary course was
pursued by the old English and Scotch
Irish settlers. The result was that the
young people all emigrated to the West,
and the old rich farms fell into the hands
of thrifty Germans to the destruction of
the old social and religious society of that
country.
8. All things considered, that is the
best state of things where it is easiest for
young people, when they arrive at suit
able age, to marry and settle. Now
suppose man has large body of unim-
proved land, and several sons. If
neither of those SONS can marry
until he is able to set up an es-
Enlistment like his fathers; or if he
marries must bring his wife home, to be
supported by his father; he is very likely
to remain single for long time, or fail to
marry at al. But suppose the father
says to his eldest son, when the latter be-
comes twenty-one years of age, if not
sooner, ''My son, it is now time for you
to begin to strike out for yourself. You
have youth, health, energy and spirit, and
l have land. There is hundred scres of
land, as good naturally as any I own. Go
to work upon it and make yourself
home, and the land shall be yours. !"
Suppose he gives him, in addition, all the
help he can. And suppose further that
this Is the general custom of the country.
1t is PLAIN that in such a community twen-
ty-five years would quadruple the farms
and the population, besides all the other
advantages of the system. have seen
such communities and such results pro-
duced. Hence can say that experience
demonstrates the correctness of the max
i'm.
4. Without pursuing the subject to
tedium, it is evident that division of the
large farms, would promote the opening
up of roads, the establishment of trades
and manufactures. the building of
churches and schoolhouses, and the gen.
ersl advance of the community in all the
arts of civilization. This is proven first
by the rapid advance in all these respects
of those sections of the Northwest, where
the land was settled under the operation
of the presumption laws of the United
States, and, secondly, by the present con-
dition of things in Tennessee, and other
parts of the South. once visited the
plain log cabin home of an old elder in the
Presbyterian Church, in the center of
Ohio. He lived in the style of the early
settlers, and complained of the rudeness
of the community, the want of schools,
and the difficulty of supporting the
church. On inquiry, l found he
owned over five thousand acres of
land, most of which was unimproved and
idle; the rest devoted to sheep raising.
He had set his heart on owning land, and
bought and bought until he could travel
six or eight miles on his own land. If he
is not deaQ yeJ, Dy Inls IlLne Nc mas pIOo-
ably bought himself into wilderness,
and soon will not have neighbors enough
to bury his carcass, when he dies and
leaves his land so heirs, he knows not
whom"
The practical question is, how shall
we do it2 To the individual owner l
would say, as soon as possible, settle
your son, scn-in-law, nephew, cousin, or
any person you can, on as much OF your
land as either of them can use to advau-
tage aud you cannot If you have neither
of these relatives, try your neighbor
sons, or sell cheaply to the sons of
strangers. At any rate, don't keep the
land, if you have to give it to the deserV-
ing poor.
Again, Find out by careful inquiry
who of your own people talk of emf
grating TO Texas, Florida, or Kansas.
Ascertain the causes, and if worthy peo-
pie, don't let them go. 1t took twenty
five or thirty years to raise such people on
the soil. and il will take longer TO meta