Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-06-27
Farm and FaresaMe.
HIGH FARMING.
Lynn Record.

A noted farmer in New England, who is
also prominent agricultural writer, in
summing up the impressions brought
home from recent trip TO Europe, says,
~ am thoroughly confirmed in my old
faith that the only good farmer of our fu-
ture is to be the high farmer There is a
widely prevailing antipathy among the
common farmers of our State against not
only the practice of high farming but
against the use of the phrase by aGricul-
tural writers. This is all wrong and should
at once be corrected. Through some mis-
conception of the meaning of tine phrase
and also of its application, they have come
to believe it Synonymous with theoretical
book farming 'new-fangled notions
boosted strides of progress. followed by
disappointments and final failure. This is
all an error High farming simply means
thorough cultivation, liberal manuring,
bountiful crops, good stock, good feed, and
paying profits therefrom. 1t is not strange
that misconceptions have arisen in the
minds of doubling farmers who have been
eye-witnesses to some of the spread-eagle
supplied with money obtained in bust
ness they know how to manage, than with
practical experience on the farm. Bounti-
full crops and paying profits of course are
what all farmers who are dependent upon
the farm for an income are striving to OBJ
tain; and every year az it passes is recon-
firming the opinion that the profits are
small, and will grow beautifully less
where high farming is not practiced. Tho
short season given us in the spring of the
year in which to prepare the land and plant
our seed, increases the difficulty of making
that thorough preparation without which
the best results can not be realized. Il can't
STOP has been the chief cause of many
miserable failure, when harvest proved the
labor of the year thrown away. 1t should
ever be the farmers motto to thoroughly
prepare by pulverization and by literally
fertilizing every acre of land under Guilt
walton before the seed is planted. Thorough
pulverization has far more effect upon the
growing crop than one would be led to sup
pose by the little attention given it. Espec-
lily is this the case with grain crops when
no after cultivation is given. II one blowing
does not leave the soil sufficiently mellow,
pillow again; and continue to work 1t till its
condition Is such as you desire. Light
lands of course need less working TO rem
der them mellow and fine, than do heavy
soils. Every time you plow and every
time you stir with cultivator, or harrow
such land, you increase their productive
capacity. BY stirring and mellowing the
soil the inorganic plant food in It is render
ed soluble and available. This plant food
is made available chiefly through the in
fiuence of the atmosphere. In a soil finely
pulverized, every particle of that soil is
brought under the influence of the atmos-
phere, since air permeates the whole mass !;
while in that remaining in clods, only the
external surface is affected. pulyerized
soil will also, If its needs demand 1t, absorb
more moisture from the air, and with 1t
of course proportionate amount OF am
monia always existing there. 1t will also
attract far larger quantities of water from
the reservoirs below for the use of the
growing plant. Another advantage not to
be overlooked is the mellow bed on which
the numberess fine rootlets may easily
ramify and extend without obstruction
through the whole soil. In the wheat grow
ing sections of New York and Canada, sew
eraL plowings are considered essential to
the success of the wheat crop. May it not
DO introduced TO advantage among us ?
The low price of land here has tendency
to encourage farmers to hold and cultivate
extensive farms, and to apply their limited
quantities of manure over large fields. This
Is wrong. If the manure can not be in
creased to meet the demands of the land,
then reduce the cultivated acres to the sup
ply ofthe manures. Liberal manuring alone
is profitable. We hardly know the pro-
ductive capacity of good strong soil well
worked and excessively MANFRED. This
same liberal treatment applies to stock
with equal force and with like results. The
returns are greater from two good animals
well fed and cared for, than from twice
that number scantily fed and neglect
ed and the actual profits are not Ia
be compared, for from the latter nc
profits accrue. Success In farming, If achlev-
ed at all, will come-does come-from good
lands well kept, aud good stock well fed