The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-12-28
WOman'S thoughts on Texas
rnIsniHS.

been the fashion during the past few
years for the sterncr sex to initiate the
example of Horace Greeley and tell
"what they knew about farming" but
1 do not recollect any of the ladies Civ
ing their notes and opinions on the sub
ject. The truth is, the single portion
Of the fair are busIly engaged in dress
ing, dancing, flirting asd disposlng of
themselves In marriage, while the
wives and mothers are absorbed in
houEehold cares aud leave outdoor
management to the head of the family.
But often, very otter, it occurs to this
sad world of ours that, by the death Of
one, 'Who would not have suffered
even the winds Of heaven to Wait her
too roughly" the wife finds transferred
to her, all these cares and responsible
ties, which in many cases she is all un-
fit to bear, not from want of inclina-
ton to take up the burden, but from
want of the necessary knowledge. 1t
behooves us then to give some atten-
ton to these matters and little obser-
vation will teach US great deal. Hav-
ing experienced something of this in
my life and having been forced to &C.
quire some knowledge of farming, 1
trust you will allow me to give express
sion to some plain and simple thoughts
on the sdbject. l shall speak of farm
ing as have seen 1t in Texas, and give
few hints as to how l think it might
be improved
TOO MANY BROAD ACRES.
In the first place, most of the farms
are too large, now that we have no
slaveowners, with their large gangs of
slaves perfectly under their control
from year to year. Then, too, the hir-
ing of hands is so expensive and their
continuance with the farmer so uncer-
tain-he being liable to be deserted at
his hour of sorest nee6-that it would
be much better for each farmer to un-
dertake only such an amount of land
as he and his family and perhaps one
hired hand could cultivate.
| CULTIVATE TASTE AND ART.
The first thing to be done in arrang-
ing farm is to take new departure,
and, instead of putting up the wretched
little cabins which are now the almost
universal habitation of the farmer, let
each one select as agreeable site a,
possible and erect a house with some
regard 10 the beautiful. Fence in,
first, a small yard and garden in which
the wife and daughters may plant q
tree or flower without fear of molesta
r tj;oar from tth thu cattle and horses. II
has been hitherto the custom to neg
lect this, and the house has general,
been without fence at all, or PLACED
in the pasture and the wife and daugh
, ter have had no ihducement to plan
or beautify, well knowing that the re
! morseless "s:ock" would devour bot
/ flower and shrub Have decided from
e gate and door; this point has also bee
s overlooked, for you will find it diff
S cult thing in the country in Texas t
: distinguish the front from the back 0
e the house, and often the woodpile, tn
: cowpen and the kitchen are the frs
u objects which greet the visitor on ap
: preaching Texas farm house. Tn
; time and money invested in maxim
e these arrangements are not throw
i away. The farmer will meet with am
:, pie returns in the added comfort to hi
7 living and the increased value of hi
II place should he wish or be forced t
. sell.
d IMPROVE THE FARM.
u So much for appearance and comfort
Il now for the main point, the farm az
u its management. Let no farmer, as
2 have said before, take too much land
i. one acre thoroughly and scientifcall
d cultivated will produce more tina
n three or four with the slovenlY farmin
d now prevalent. Every farmer shout
on settling his home select a suitabI
a place for an orchard and set out the be-
varieties of fruit trees he can obt.lI
re As fast as his means permit he shout
u purchase all the improved and labo
4 saving implements. Let him dete
2, mine that he aciU break his land e
the ensuing years crop early in th
N fall before the weeds, burs, etc., go I
q seed. By 90 doing he will never hay
lie any foul land, and here l would r
TO mark that have been told by an G,
s. perienced and successful farmer tn,
d, he has found oats to be one Of the be
~ crops for cleansing land of the bu
or that are so troublesome in Texas. tt
oats are harvested early in the sei
son and the stumble should |
:, ploughed at once. This being don
. when the hot and dry season has con
:. nenced, will efTectually destroy q
n burs and other weeds. Avoid II
- burning of corn-stalks so gener
throughout the State. 1t has boz
- shown by chemical analysis tbi
~ the production of the stalk IS a mo
~ exhaustive process, and If they q
y chopped, which can now be easi
done, with the new chopper inyents
he for the purpose, and pl0ughsd in &r
THIS returned TO the soil, the exhaus
is ion is much decreased.
* DoSiT TRANPLE THE SOIL
vs. Let the farmer also avoid the Tex
N habit Of turning herds Of cattle. IN
he the fields in the fall The injury doi
in By trampling the soil, and consequent
Tor the increased labor in cnltivatinG, 4
K, outweigh the saving IN their fee
We Resides, having once acquired &
ut habit of going into the Eelds
an is 9 difficult matter unless you have
IS first class fence 20 keep them out
he the growing crop. And just he;fd
10 would sp~reEt tksf ipsfsad - ~