The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-29
Farming too Many Acres. ,

With each years experience I am
better satisfied to farm fewer mum.
ber of acres thoroughly, convinced
that I can make more money. make
il easier, keep my farm much
better condition by fatsniAS less
number Of acres and doing the worl
more thoroughly,
/ find the larger crops per acre can
raise the less they cnst me per bushel,
and find the proportion in this re-
spect is so much that it makes my
farming far more profitable.
And this isnotthe only advantage.
am saved considerable amount of
worry and anxiety not only in trying
TO sow or plant large crop, but also
IN trying to plan how to properly eui-
tivate and harvest the crop. Iscan
push my work instead of being cons
tinually crowded with more than I /
can possibly do and do well. Fused I
TO think that / could easily cultivate
and harvest all could put in, and sd
could, after Il fashion, 6dt the cuI-
tlYatlon WAS harder work and the
harvesting no better, while the profits
were not always as satisfactory as
should like.
Experience has taught me that it is
far more profitable to take more time
to plow the land blowing deeper and
more thorough. Narrowing and roll
ing until the soil is in good condo
ton, before seeding, and in this way
make the after cultivation much
easier.
Then in the case of cultivated crops
such as corn, sorghum, beans, pota-
toes. and garden truck, find that If
L am able to thoroughly cultivate so
as to not only keep down the weeds
but also to keep the soil we'll stirred
as often as possible. that not only Is
the yield larger and more profitable,
but the labor of harvesting is made
much easier and pleasanter.
Any one who has been obliged TO
gather or cut up corn among crop
OF cookie burrs, cut and strip sorghum
among a good crop of crab grass, dig
potatoes out of heavy growth of
weeds, or hunt up the vines in the
garden among the weeds and grass,
| knows the task is anything but a
pleasant one. Either OF these tasks
is work, and it can be made far more
easy and pleasant if the cultivation
has been such as to keep them clean.
While at the same time in keeping
down these pests or hinderances to
the work of harvesting. we materi-
ally increase the yield Of the crops.
! InerT anUrner advantage L and ia
that l can keep up the fertility of the
farm much better, and in doing this
/ have learned another fact-that if /
can keep my soil rich, can plant or
SOW my crops at the proper time and
cultivate thoroughly, am in meas
ure sure of at least reasonable yield,
even if the season is not the most
favorable.
am convinced that great part of
our failures are the result of our own
greediness in trying to do and get too
much with too little effort of our own.
There is too much Providence farm
ing. We plant a large amount in a
slip-shod m lnner, half cultivate, and
then expect Providence to gve US q
good crop, and if it fails, cry out.
"Well, that is always my luck ~
There is no luck about it simply
our own greediness and selfishness in
expecting too much for our careless
work.
Too many of us do not stop to count
the difference between small yield
and large one. When we all get to
doing this we will have less acreage
planted. more thorough preparation
of soil before planting, considerable
more and better cultivation, accom-
panied by a perceptible increase in
the yield as well as the profit.-N. j..
Shepherd.