Smyrna times., 1878-12-18

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SMALL FARMING.-We give in our Agri.
cultural column the important part of a
recent speech delivered by Gen. Butler on
the subject of dairy products and small
farming Butler does not lack for ability
on any subject that he may take hold of,
but in politics especially the course he may
take is very uncertain and some times his |
fight is as cratic as that of leather-winged |
bat. He is always interesting, if not agree
able. He shows in this speech that he |
knows quite as much about agricultural as |
he does about "fat" money and if he |
would transfer the workings of his active |
intellect from the latter to the former he
might be the means of doing much more
good, and would be gladly heard with
pleasure and profit. The address was de-
livered before the International Dairy Fair,
the object of the speaker being to show
that France kept its position in political
economy and financial management be-
cause of the fact of her small farms and
consequent high culture. To our Western
farmers with their thousand acre tillages
this is a subject of no special interest, but
to US in Delaware and on the Peninsula it
is matter of growing weight and import
ance. The question now pressing upon our
agricultural community is, "what shall be-
come of our tenant farmersT A few years
ago there were more farms to rent than
persons to occupy them, and there were a
few instances of undesirable properties
being left untenanted. Now this is entirely
changed and a good farm, where it Is
known for any cause there is to be change
of the occupant, has twenty or thirty appli-
cants. Where there is such sharp competi-
ton, the ultimate result must be that ten
ants will succeed to the best farms as they
show tact, while the poor ones as rule will
be pushed to the wall. But the man who
admit land all young farmers need few
years to gain competitive experience) de
serves every opportunity to get established
in the vocation of his choice. This state o
affair has been brought about in part BY
the increase of population, but mainly BY
the influx of land purchasers from th'
North, mostly from Canada, attracted b!
our salubrious climate.
The question how shall we retain our OLE
while making way for the new population
has but one solution for the agriculturist
viz: an increase of small farms and "higher
or forced farming-one acre producin
what it requires two now to yield. TIL
8 circumstances of country develope largel
the habit of its people. The prevailin
habit heretofore has been four rich prarit
and broad territories furnishing constar
temptation) when an acre was exhauste
to move on and take another of virgi
soil, and hence not great many yea
have been required to shift the centre
the wheat product from the GenesC
Valley step by step to the far West. Th
has its benefit in a national point of vie
in settling new states and territories, but
has by cheap facilities of transportatic
made the rich alluvial soils of the We
competitors with oursterile lands at our We
doors. The farmer who thus has the a
vantages of new tillages has the advantaI
over him who must stick to his exhaust'
acres, and the only hope of the latter is
"scratch and hoe" with renewed enerl
and gain all the facts possible leading
scientific culture.
Gen. Butler shows that of the $500
properties in France 100000 of the
average six acres, and it has less area tn
the State of Texas and produces me
wheat than the United States. And J
while this is so, its great glory is not in
wheat but its dairy products.
We start in amazement," said Gene
Butler, to learn the fact that nearly $3j
100000 worth of butter and cheese hs
been produced in this country within I
past year, or one-seventh more than I
value of the wheat crop of the country, a
one third more than the cotton CROP"
fact will indeed be surprising we suspect
almostanybody who has not made the mat
a subject of special study. The statis
would serve as text for a volumn as v
as for short discourse. We exported
England in the year 1876 $2,965,000 wo
of butter and $l2, 1924, 900 worth of che,
We may well feel proud of these crafty
results, although our pride may be aba
when we learn that France in that year
ported to England $lS,672,OOO worth
butter alone.
An old country like France of col
has the advantage of new one like o
but, in this section at least, we are get
cage ~ our side" and the time is CON
VIII .l-t ponder these things whet
we want to or not. Our circumstances
50 different that we cannot follow her
ample literally, nor is it desirable, but
can draw many valuable lessons greatly
our benefit.
The DoDsoN FARcE.-We went to +
last week with Jones on the witness ST.