Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-04-15
5arn anD toustboID.
Esla Eass. Ne. s.

A correspondent asks, "Wha, is Alfalfa
Can it be grown in Maine" Alfalfa t.Hedi-
ca9o sdtird,l known in Europe a. Lucerne
and in California as Chill clover is one Of
the best Of forage grasses. The alfalfa Of
California and the lucerne Of France. differ
much in appearance but the difference is
only so far as soil and climate may vary a
plant That. in the pampas Of Buenos
Ayres, Is its place Of nativity. is doubted,
since il was cultivated in Greece 500 wears
before Christ
Whether alfalfa can be grown in Maine
is uncertain Last spring (ls79) We seeded
down fourth Of an acre with seed from
San Francisco. II Is thought that the eli
mate and soil of New England are no, con-
genial to it, growth. Il has been known
TO Weld five tons TO the acre.
CORN. The weather-wise say, "a corn
summer follows rainy winter" Corn can
be grown TO profit in Eastern Maine, subjec,
to certain conditions, l. e land well worked.
manure near the surface, hills 3 I-2 feet
apart each way. rows running north and
south, variety which viii ripen inside OF
1870 days. and no weeds with these applied
conditions paving yield NAV reasonably be
expected.
FENCES. The yearly build and repair
time Of fences X at hand This is the farm
er's most burdensorne tax. Notwl,hstand-
ing, many farmer who has TO .coun; the
cost" wear by wear maintains Ten times too
many fences, because he supposes that by
not so doing he ''perils his possessions" 1t
estimated that in Maine there are Sl3, 600
600 worth of unnecessary fences an unmiti-
gated nuisance 10 impoverish land owners
Fence law. written or unwritten. requires
this alone. that each owner Of cattle fence
an his own beasts; TO fence out ano;hers is
no requirement Of law. The old moss-ooy-
cred custom which enforces the fencing oilt
Of "all creation" has no foundation in Jus
tice or equity The removal Of road side
fences is RICH; beginning; let the good
work be continued.
TAxEs. No man, even if he writes his
name with an *" needs TO be told what was
"Cesar's decree" In all the wide "sphere
for labor" no other industry is so unfairly
taxed, as the farmers. HIS possessions
are such, that they cannot escape the asses
sor's eve. Careful estimates show that in
the other industries half of the personal es-
ta;es elude taxation.
4 tax is creature Of civil society. Gev-
eminent begets its necessity. Ii is levied
for the protection of person and property,
and in all fairness, every person. and every
kind Of property, IN need Of or receiving
such protection, should pay a jus, proper
ton Of governmental price
THE WEATHER. We are not going TO
Try our hand a, almanac making, or at
tempt TO vie with Vennor, or odd Probs f"
To be weather-wise is no forte of ours
Il is generally received opinion tina, in
the business Of farming no one can with
certainty predict the results, because the
weather" over rules, and thus it is game
Of chance, the harves, being blank or a
prize, as ones luck may be. True. farming
may be, and too often is, so managed
that certainty of crop is Influenced, nav
more is controlled BY the variability of
seasons.
No navt.,,i,- l.
knows anything Of the relation Of cause and
effect, believes that certainty of crop is de-
termined by the wrath, or the favor Of the
weather. An uncommon elemental change,
killing frost, a destroying drought, a tor
nado's fury, TO avert these man is powerless !;
but that the average yield of crops is con-
trolled BY the ordinary variation of seasons
hes passed from the belief Of scientific men.
If the soil be rightly prepared and is sup
piled with absolute plant-food, there will be
no waiting for favorable weather to turn
up"
FARM LABOR. Some have doubted
whether hired labor will pay on a farm; in
some places it will not When farming is
made stepping stone" to other employ
ments, where the farms are remote from q
ready market-where a ..forestallers tax"
or middlemen's fees must be paid-hired
labor won't pay its way. The larger profits
of commerce, the dashing game of mining,
the alluring advertisements falsly SAYING,
the path of fortune tendeth westward-all
these stand in the way of the farm A
ready and easily accessible market, regard
less of the agency which creates it, will re-
verse the picture.
With the invention and supply of labor
saving contrivances, no farmer need be
"held at bay" by high wages, or dearth
Of Tabor; for in every department and in all
the processes Of the farm, he can substitute
mechanical for muscular labor, thereby aug
mentiAg The productive capacity Of the soil
snd cheapsning TIE cost Of production.