Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-06-17

In a recent conversation with Mr. II. c.
Burleigh who, as is already known TO our
readers. spent considerable portion of the
past wear among the English farmers, he
Spoke of the great contrast between Eng-
lish and American agriculture. and the com
parison of the two systems Is not at all IN
our favor Indeed. the difference is 80 great
that the most casual observer could not fail
TO notice ii. and TO a man Of Mr.. Burleighs
experience in farming, the contrast must
have been indeed marked. Careless farm
ing, at the present time, may be said to be
a trait peculiar TO the American farmer. a
trait which foreigners a; once notice when
visiting u, aud one which the. do not hest
tate to speak and write about on then re-
turn home.
England is small in AREA bu, contains an
immense population which Is larrei, sup
ported, in favorable seasons. by the pro-
ducts Of her soil. and in order to effect this.
not foot Of land is allowed to lay waste,
but each and every portion is laid under
contribution to assist in feeding the vast
multitude Of the population, Every bushei
Of grain and roots and everything beside
that the soil is capable Of producing. IS
laboriously and patiently drawn out. and no
means Of replenishing and enriching the
sail. is leit neglected. How strongly does
this differ from the system Of the average
American farmer2 No, only square feet,
but square rods and even square acres. are
found on almos; ever, farm. which produce
little or nothing, and much Of that which is
cultivated does no, produce half Of ~ha, 1t
Incapable Of producing with proper feriiliIa-
ton and clean cultivation.
In English agriculture there is system
attic rotation of crops which occupies sew
cral wears. While hut little attention i paid
10 this important matter IN this country.
The same Kind Of crops Is often found grow
ing here upon the same field. Tor several
wear, IN succession. and when attempts al
rotation ar made. the, are seldom conduct
ed in even an approximately scientific man
ncr. In some Of the dcnsely populated
countries OF Europe, soil i actually carried
from the low grounds and placed upon
iedgcs 10 form a sol Tor cult, alton. while
IN New England. even in the oldest and best
cultl,a ted portions. acres and acres are al
lowed to remain comparatively unproduo-
tive Il NAV be answered that Nc are not
Obliged 10 resort ~ such clean and careful
system Of agriculture. On account Of the
large extent Of our arabic lands and our
comparatively sparse population. all Of
which IS true enough but TIN. can be no
e>eus. Tor loose and lIp-shod farming. Too
man, farmers art DESTROYS Of continual,
become LAND poor" Land which pay. no
profit is onl, a damage TO the farmer, b.
cause II mus; pa, taxes. and annually adds
SO much to the wrong sidc 81 the ledger.
The farmer Who undertake, TO cultivate
more land than he can cultivate veil. !.
Obliged a. ~ over It ~ slap shoi manner.
and the net profit Of his labor j. greatly re-
duoed thereby.
\ prevalent f4s.li y IL American farming
and one abol, which too much oanno, D.
said. i the failure TO raise upon gwen
area ~ha, the soil j. capable OF producing
and the entire :, stem Is generally a; fault
The land is rarely well ploscd, scarcely
ever half fertiliEed and almos; never oleanl,
cultivated and the rcsul, i that no, inore
than half full crop IS generally rcaliIed.
Under the stimulus Of q r;AIn special prcmi-
ums offered last year. some vcry fine crops
Of wheat and corn Were produced n this
State. and does any one suppose thA, the
premium wheat and corn COS; any more per
bushei 10 the producer than an ordinary
crop would have cost We have 10 idea
that II cost A. much, and the person ~ho
produced these fne crops were the gamers
b, their efforts leaving the premiums they
received out Of the question; and beside,
the land was put IN splendid condition for
other crops. VIVA, our farmers need 10
learn, and to teach them was the great
object Of offering special premiums, !, tina;
good farming pays better than poor and that
the ne; profit Of one acre may be greater
than that Of several, the difference depend
ing alone upon the method Of cult, alton
Whenonly forty bushels Of corn are raise d
upon an acre Of ploved lsnd. the cost per
bashel j. probably no, far from sc, en'y-fve
cents. while, when the yield Is eighty
bushels. the cost Of production will not eN-
coed sixty rents per bashel, some SAY fifty.
At eighty five cents per bushsl. fair price
for home raised corn. the net profit on forty
bushels 10 the acre, would be abou, four
dollars. while on eight, bushels 10 the acre,
il would amount 10 twenty dollars, or as
some say, tveniy-eight dollars. These fig
ures are intended TO be only approximately
correct, but they are near enough TO show
that good husbsndry pays much better than
poor.