Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-05-14

PROF. I. p. RoBEkTs.

Leaving the fertile, well-tllled farm
ofMr. J.. J. Mech. free from oestruet-
ing trees. hedges and bitches, and pass
inc northward into Suffolk County, one
ia sorcibly reminded at every turn in the
road. of the justice of his criticism Oh
English agriculture.
The first thing that rleases yet snnoys
the American-especislly 1.-THE be from
the prairies-is the great number OF
spreading oaks scattered through the
field. and the numerous and too often
unkept hedges. That the oaks are
beautiful no one can deny; neither can
it be denied that they obstruct the
plow. occupy four times the ground that
should under any circumstances be all
lowed trees so situated, and then are OF
comparatively little value. The oak is
the ideal of law shade-tree, but is Tar
too low and brushy for timber. SO,
neatly. kept live fence in its appropriate
Mace. is thing Of beauty and 10,
forever.n but a double line of half-dead
and unkept thorn-trees, inclosing often
less than three acres, makes one ex-
claim. why cumbereth it the
ground on her own SOIL"
From actual count it is found that, in
some parishes, the fields average only
four acres; in others. five and a half.
six and half, eleven, eight, thirteen.
respectively. In 100 parishes 4'6sS
fields were found to be either triangular
or of some other irregular and inconve-
nient shape. To fence a section OF
land.-640 acres-into ten-acre, square
fields requires $500 rods OF fence, and
to fence it into four-acre fields would
REQUIRE about 5000 additional rods. II
we estimate it at sl.00 per rod, we find
the cost is sl3.6s per acre. Add to this
the cost of repairs, deterioration OF
material, interest on investment, and
rent OF the land occupied. aud the total
forms a sum that ia not only appalling.
hut ruinous. It's ne wonder that so
shire Nd a man as MIR. Mechi should. on
purchasing his first little farm OF l2S
acres. removed three and half miles
Of fence. IfthOse who farm the lands
owned them, there would be some hope
that at least a part Of these worse than
useless trees and fences would be re-
moved; but with the lands in the hands
ofthe wealthy few, who too often think
more of the, shooting" than Of their
tenants, all progress IN this direction is
slow.
In another direction very great inn
provement has been made-the laborers'
earth-hoored novels Of fifty years ago,
not fit for swine. have largely gwen
way to small, neat and comfortable
brick cottages, and so far as | can learn
the farm labOrer is now, as rule, no.
only comfortably housed but we'll ted.
But the English farm laborer and the
American are quite different PERSONS
The former seldom is able or expects
to acquire either land or wealth, and ia
therefore apparently contented with his
lot. anxious only to serve acceptably
that he may retain his position. The
latter, who is very often some young
man born poor but with full faith in his
ability 20 become possessed at no distant
day of broad acres, is restless and ready
for almost any change that offers Short
road TO success. In one thing they are
alke-bOth seek their own good, the
latter BY change. the former by per-
manency. The one is unduly stmula-
ted by those around him who have risen
from obscurity to honor: the other lac ks
oven healthy incentive to make the
most OF his surroundings. The one is
too rapid and nervous, the other too
slow and Flooding. The one Is per-
fectly willing to do big DAYS work, if
you will let him do it in eight hours and
go to the village after supper; the other
will work faithfully twelve or fourteen
hours, but must have plenty OF time to
eat and drink and is greatly averse to
haste.
III was disappointed IN seeing so
many more trees out ofplace, so many
more open bitches, SO many more broad
based and unkept hedges that l had ex.
pected l was also greatly pleased and
instructed by the fac filth of the fields.
and the magnificent crops Of grain
VIII, is It that England so far exceeds
US in the average yield Of wheat oats
and barley? began to ask questions:
What insects are the most destruc-
tive to grain9'
There has been none for mauy years
in this locality that has done much
damage"
Scarcely ever, if sOwed early and in
good condition. The yield is sometimes
slightly reduced by laying" rainy
weather, mildew or rust.'
On looking around, I found that there
were at least ten good farmers to one
poor one, while in the United States
the reverse is too often true. 1t IL
often Said that the English farmer
is forced to farm well to get any
profit on his low-priced productsS
While / felt that / had found
some OF the reasons for their high
averages. was not thoroughly sat
is6ed. and on further inquiry, learned
that while the question Of fertilizers
was great one, the question Of the
propagation of the soil was greater.
The Enolish ara nofed for thar