Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-02-25
SPEED THE PLoW."
The Farm as a Permanent Home.

SPEED THE PL0W.'
The Farm as Permanent Home.
The American farmer in the main,
is very unstable character. He is
too much on the move; becomes too
easily dissatisfied and disseminated
with his lot, with himself, or his neigh
bors, or his surroundings. Hence, he
takes but little or no interest in his
place, makes no improvements, just
,scrapes along from hand to mouth as
at were, and sells out at the first op-
portunity.
There are lots and lots Of farmers
OF this class-more than one would
think there would be-and the legiti-
mate result of their lack of interest
and discomfort is this: Their farms
and homes become poorer every year
heir children grow up and leave them
and when they die their farms are run
out and deserted. ] know Of more
\,than dozen farms in this county now
in this sad condition, waiting for
race of young farmers of more pluck,
energy and stability.
n There is another class-small per-
haps-that might be called specula-
tive farmers. They buy to realize on
their investment, and sell as soon as
the coveted opportunity offers conse-
quently not dollar is laid out for fer
filters or extra dressing; no repairs
of consequence are made, and no per-
manent improvements effected. l know
of farm in this vicinity, considered
once one of the largest and best in the
township, all cut to pieces and sold off
and nearly ruined by the different par
ties through whose hands it passed
! ance the original owner, became dis
satisfied and moved away. The last
purchasers-two brothers-have lived
On remnant of the old farm for sew
eral years, but not one dollar has been
laid out for repairs or Improvements
and yet they ask more for the place
'eHow than when they bought it four or
five years ago.
There is another class whe buy, not
to speculate upon, hut to make all the
money they can from the farm with az
q little outlay as possible; and they can
.sfpot be made to see that the course they
pursue is ruinous one both to them
selves and to their children. AS an
instance, will relate briefly what ac-
tually happened: About twenty-five
- years ago man of iron constitution
and iron nerve, purchased Que of the
largest and best hay and fruit farms
in this neighborhood for the sum of
seven thousand dollars, l think, or
1a1nnearly that. He was an honest, hard
working man, an early riser, and one
..nwno never let the grass grow under
syhis feet; and if any man could posi-
bly, make anything or get anything
r oout of farm he could. When the
farm passed into his hands it was in
excellent condition, and produced an
nually from seventy-fve to one hum
dred tons of hay. In good year: he
would sell from $500 to $1,000 worth
of hay. 1t was naturally splendid
grass land but be was SO greedy of gain
that he would put little or nothing
back, and the consequences was he soon
rode free horse to death. In other
words, he run the majority of the farm
all out; and wnen he died, making no
will, the farm had to be divided among
the heirs-three boys and two girls.
More than one half of the land, though
not the best, had to be sold to pay off
slthe claims of two of the sons; while
.dthe remainder, including the buildings
and what is left of the orchard, is in
the possession of the other son and
1.-two daughters. But the land is ter
ribly run out; the buildings are in a
noshabby, neglected condition, and the
orchard nearly gone. A large and
beautiful fruit and vegetable garden
h+shas entirely disappeared. Such is the
condition, and the parties now owning
want to sell, but cannot; that is, they
cannot easily find purchaser to take
the farm at their price, $500. The
old gentleman had the name of being
o tremendous worker, and the son is
good deal like him, smart and active
but terribly slack and slcvenly in bis
style of farming; never lifts his finger
to saw out dead limb from an apple
tree or sucker from around the trunk
When the tree topples over he will re-
, ltnove it, if it be in the way of the NOW
ing machine.
I do not wish to farm in any such
way; what little / do am determined
Ito do we'll to make some improvement
every year. Moreover, it is my fixed
= purpose to have some definite plans
.aand to carry out those plans each year
:ss as far as possible, and l hope to leave
- for those who come after me q better