The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-07-28
WHAT SMALL FARMS WILL DO.

The diffusive farmer spreads his ma
I nure and labor over large territory,
producing unsatisfactory results. He
| is more intent on acres than bushels,
and seeks to increase the area rather
than the WELD Most American farm
ers have little idea Of the capabilities of
an acre of land, but the experiments
conducted at the Riverside Stock and
Experimental Farm" Avon Springs,
n. Y. an account of which is given in
the Empire State Agrtculturist, shows
how management eau overcome Difficult
ties. The farm contains thirty acres.
and is mostly a reclaimed swamp. por-
tion of 1t however, being stiff clay
Last year 9, 200 heads of celery, between
the rows of half an acre of sweet corn,
were produced. The celery plants were
set in a furrow between the rows after
corn cultivation was finished, the corn
serving to partially shade the celery
From one and three-quarter acres 2100
bushels of carrots were grown, 800 bush
els of which were sold at 40 cents per
bushel. Seven acres in corn produced
100 bushels Tearsl and from the same
ground 161 bushels of medium beans
were harvested, from which one dollar
and twenty cents per bushel was realized
between the carrots and parsnips, and
sold at from FIVE to ten cents each. A
cabbage plant was set out on every va
can't place. Less than an acre OF land
gave eight hundred bushels of parsnips,
which were wintered in the ground
From pure-bred Yorkshire hogs $500
dollars were derived, and tWenty-seven
hogs were slaughtered The soiling
system is practiced in keeping stock,
and 2 great portion of the farm is devo-
ted to growing grass for horses and cat
tie, PIickly comfrey sis considered by
the managers Of the farm to be one of
the most valuable of fodder plants. 1t
is claimed for it that square rod will
give a ton of green fodder, which is re-
lished by all kinds of stock. The COM
Frey once set is perpetual, as it springs
up as soon as cut. Over $50 tons to the
acre. green, is not an unusual yield.
The farm is under the management of
DR.. T. NJ. Smedly.
In the spring Of 1875 a correspondent
OF the Rural NelC Yorker bought forty
five acres of worn ont land. His entire
capital was two hundred dollars and in
the purchase of the farm eight hundred
was incurred. BY a system of green
manuTing, soiling what few cattle he
gradually procured, and judicious meth
Cd of cultivation. the debt was soon can
celled. new buildings were erected, and
the farm is now well stocked and in
good order One of the main reliances
of'the correspondent was pOnltry. It re-
quired less capital to get q profit from
poultry than anything else, and bv Civ
ing strict attention to them. they aver
aged, clear of cost, over 81 per head.
This was nearly all profit. From 70
hens, in a single month, thirty-two dol
lars was realized, for eggs alone, the cost
of feed being six dollars, leaving a total
of S26. This shows that hen can be
kept month for eight cents, or one
dollar year.
These instances demonstrate that by
high tillage and good Judgment success
is attained even on a very small farm.
Large farms are not so desirable as
small ones thoroughly cultivated, The
manure required for an acre is, to aeon
siderable extent, wasted when spread
over two, and it requires more labor to
harvest the crop. The best farmers are
those who improve their farms endeavOr
| to make them more and more productive
The proper system of farming is oDe that
increases production with each succeed
ing season. 1t is more Tenumerative
to practice high farming than to depend
on large areas with poor yields.