Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1878-02-14
IgrirnhHre.
Too Much Land

to acquire an extent of land entirel,
out Of proportion to their means Of i'm
proving ii. Thousands of hard-work
ing cultivators Of the soil keep them
selves in a state Of poverty and distres,
through the insane idea of owning large
farms, or of spending their entire cap
ital i'll the purchase of adjoining acres
when those already possessed are un'
productive through the lack of means
for their proper cultivation. Such al
iniudicious course of controlling large
areas by men Of limited means, is as
though an individual should buy q
wagon for service before he could com
mand the price of the horse TO draw it
as though merchant should invest hi
all IN a warehouse. showcase. counLer
and signs. with nothing left To purchase
stock of merchandise as though q
railroad corporation should expend its
entire capital stock and resources in Sc
curing the right-of-way, steel rails,
sleepers and spikes, in the end finding
itself unable to obtain the rolling stock
the engines, freight and passenger
cars.
What does it avail man to own two
or three hundred acres of unimproved
land, if the deed has cost him all the
means at his command, or, even worse,
If he has been Obliged to make partial
payments In notes secured by mort
gage How is property obtained at
such cost to increase the comfort,
happiness or prosperity of the pur-
chaser ? Large farms, broad acres.
herds of cattle and hocks of sheep are
perfectly legitimate for those who pos
sess sufficient capital to pay for them,
but for him who has but limited means
ut his command, few acres well titled.
with little reserved capital for the
purchase of tools, implements, trees,
seeds and improved animals, is far the
wisest, safest course.
Any farmer, who in his ambition to
control large farm devotes his entire
capital to its purchase, thereby enslaves
himself for many years, perhaps for
life. lie is obliged to use his credit i'm
the purchase of cattle, sheep and swine.
paying far more than their cash value
andmwithout that choice of selection
whL ! well-iilled purse will always
command he is unable to ditch, drain
or fertlllze his acres as his best udg-
ment would dictate, simply because he
has no means with which to hire the
necessary labor; he has a milestone
around his neck, in the shape of in
creased taxes and care of long lines of
fences he can only half cultivate his
fields; his pastures grow up to brakes
and bushes; his buildings become delapi-
dated he is obliged to sell his crops at
the day of harvesting without any OPP
portunity OF taking advantage Of the
markets.
The difference between the ownership
of snug farm of moderate size. with
well cultivated fields, adjacent to the
home buildings, and under the immedi-
ate supervision and personal care of
the proprietor, combined with few
hundred dollars in hand for the pur
chase of fine stock, improved machi-
merry, choice seed and other necessary
adjuncts to successful farming, and. on
the other hand, that of farm remark
able only for its size and forbidding ap-
pearance, stocked with such specimen
ANIMALS as could be bought on six
months credit, supplied with such tools
and implements as were bid off at some
neighboring auction sale and paid for
with time notes-this difference is simp-
ly one OF prosperity, happiness and
content in the first instance, as com
pared with failure, misery and disc0n-
tent attendant upon the second method
OF attempting the cultivation of the soil.
1t is a sad waste of valuable time and
persistent labor for any farmer to toll
on year after year, weighted SO heavily
with the elements of disaster. with a
burden beyond the power of man to |
bear. Every cultiyator knows that his I
garden plot is the most productive area
on his farm, and simply because it is /
the best fertilized and the best titled 4
while the nearer every field can be /
made to approach the garden spot in I
point OF yield, the greater will be the
prott OF the occupation. Ii is far more
economical and profitable to raise fifty
bushels of shelled corn on one acre of
land, than to scratch over two acres in
the accomplishment of the same result.
The thrifty French, Swiss and German
farmers, whose ownership of land
scarcely averages five acres each, gain
support and lay up hand
some surplus from the high cultivation {
II these small holdings. Let our Ameri
an farIners determine to own less land {
nd command some ready working | I
aplS in the place of useless areas. t
'hefNwlth to enhance the pleasure and +
'roht OF the cultivation of the soil {
1t has been found that seeds do not
terminate below 3Tl F., or at a higher
than about 1889 +. Seeds
retain their vitality at very low tenn
peratures, but when heated above 1859
f., theyare with rare exceptions, killed.
Seeds which were left within the Arctic
circle by an exploring expedition, and
were some years subsequently brought
to England in October, 1876, ..germi-
mated freely.
How to Destroy Lice on Cattle