The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-08-05
More CAPITAL to the Acre.

II has been said, with apparently
great show of truthfulness, that nothing
Is 60 truly profitable or 80 grateful as
the soil /: vet few trades or occupations
are 30 unremunerative as its cultivation.
That this statement is in part true there
can be but little question. That there
is a reason for it, must be equally as ID,
yious. II is IN acknowledged TACT that
we are dependent upon the soil Tor
neat, drink and clothing /; and their
preparation, transportation and distri,
button furnish employment to the great
bulk of the non.agricultural classes
looking ut the proposition in this light,
how is it that the occupation of the
farmer seems to be generally regarded
as an Improbable one? There must be
bad management somewhere, and 1t may
be briefly expressed in the words the
expenses exceed the income. This may
be caused in the first place by attempt
ing the raising of crops not adapted to
the soil and locality, and by acting up
on the %supposition that becluse M
man has been exceptionally successful
in the production of a crop, all Others
under other circumstances Will also
succeed.
What crops are best adapted to Ger.
tain soils and what can be produced
with the most profit, are questions OF
the most dinicult kind the practical far
mer is called upon to answer. Results
are often diverse, even when conditions
seem similar.
Much of the success of English hus-
bandry depends upon the application of
this rule of adaptation of crops and
stock to localities. The Short. horns
are found in the rich grass.growing dis
tricts, the Devons in another, the Here
fords, A~yrshires and Jerseys each in
their own and by this system OF breed
ing for locality, and by clreful selec'
ton, there has been a constant improve
ment in every variety. The application
of the same rule by English husband
men in cultivating crops and applying
measures, has led to an increasing
yield while with us, from failure to
study and apply this principle of adap-
ton, in too many cases the best breeds
have actually d~eteriorated and from
the same cause the yield per acre is
growing gradually less instead OF in
creasing.
Important as il is to observe the fore
going principles, it is equally SO to
cease devotipg SO much capital to the
increase of the number of acres, and
instead Of applying all our capital in
that direction, it should be devoted to
deepening and improving the produc'
tive capacity of what we already pos
sess. A deep rich soil is what we want,
instead of a superficial one. In the
preparation Of a deep soil, we do not
mean the adoption of the usual system
of buryipg the rich surface soil to an
unusual depth, but to leave it on the
surface and use the subsoil pillow to
loosen the compact clay soil beneath it,
so that the roots Of the growing plants
penetrate it and assimilate the
elements of plant food that otherwise
would remain unavailable. A proper
of culture, manuring and rota-
ion, and the growing of clover and
requires an outlay that few
hink they can afford. A pertinent
question, and one that ought to be dis
used in the oranges and clubs, is this
low much capital should be employed
n the improvement of each acre Of
liable land?-Rural World.