The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-12-21
Maximum Crops.

In recent article used the expires
sion "tho largest possible crop" Who
knows how much that ISL | confess
that do not. Crossing number of
fields recently, and those, too, of tho
best farmers in the town, | found that
where the crop as whole looked
promising, there were spots OH which,
through excessive wet, or through stcr-
ility, the yield would be less than II
tenth of the average. Iii one barley
field there was low place which
would not yield enough to pay for har-
vosting and threshing. 1t was 50 over
grown with weeds aud grass that its
only value was for hay. On the other
hand, found near gate where the
soil had been frequently and heavily
manured, a growth of straw and well
filled heads which must Weld sixty.
possibly seventy-five bushels per acre.
despite the small corner which yield-
nothing; but the best is not so good a.
barley might be. | have seen II few
square fcet--possiblv one or two square
rOds-where the Weld was at the rate
of fully one hundred bushels per acre.
1t is not idle speculation TO discuss
The largest possible yields; they fur
mish "A good mark for enterprsing lar
mers to aim at. The large stories told
of the Yield of wheat aud corn excite a
spirit of emulation which increase the
c. ops of those grains in all parts of TN
country. 1t may be said that there is
no real advantage in this, as wha, one
crop gains another loses. But this rea-
soning is fallacious. The effort to
grow one perfect crop teaches farmers
the lesson which they most need-ihe
necessity for promptness and thorough
ness in whatever they undertake. 1t is
to do any one thing well, he will do
every other thing all the better for that
fact. The basis of many fortune is
laid in competing for Il ten dollar prize
for excellence. The prize ilselfis COM
parativcly nothing. The habits of care
and thoroughness which accompany it
are all important.
There is nothing moro demoralizina
han growing poor crops, half or quar-
cr the rightful yield, year after wear
and as a regular practice. Ii is onl
tolerabe when each return of the rOta-
ton brings regular and certain ill.,
crease in the crop No farm is ever
stationary in its tcrtily; for, if badl /,
managed. there is constant tendenc
to sterility, while with good manage
inent the opposite result is surel
reached. 1t may be that badly run
farms will need artificial manure ui
buying grain and other feed to faitel
stock, and thus improve its fertility
but when once the upward path is be-
gun, each successive step will be more
easily taken. Good farming in this
country is almost in its infancy, and in
many and large sections the retrograde
tendency toward sterility has not yei
been checked. A few market garden
ers near our large cities have brought
soil somewhere near to its productive
capacity, but even they would disclain
any such idea. As for the great ma-
ioity Of farmers proper, comparatively
few have ever given a thought to whul
their land may be made TO produce
Among Eugl sh farmers there has beel
for many wears progressive increas,
N he average yield Of wheat. Forty
fifty and sixty bushels per acre is no
uncommon. with exceptional yield
50 much greater as to show how larg,
The possible average may yet be in
creased.-[W. j. F., in Country Gen
tleman.