Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-08-18
Larger Farms or Better Tillage, Which?

A few years ago the term "high
farming" was much in vogue, and was
used to indicate such a system of,fertil-
izing and cultivation as would secure
the largest possible product from the
soil. Many writers and experimenters
went wild over the subject, and, as
usual in such cases, there was great
deal of nonsense written and practiced.
Weprefer the term good husbandry,"
of which our definition would be such
use of the soil as will insure the largest
present and permanent profit. No
definite and fixed rule for this can be
laid down. Management must be
varied according to conditions and Cir
cumstances. What would be a system
of good husbandry, so far as fertilizing
and tillage is concerned, for the Illinois
or Iowa farmer, would be entirely out of
place for the market gardener on high
priced lands near the city, or for the
English farmer who pays from six to
ten dollars per acre annual rent for the
land he occupies and cultivates, Or for
the New England farmer whose soil,
climate and markets are unlike those
of his western brother. The real prac-
teal question is, can the owner of a
small or moderate sized farm, by a
Ijudicious use of all the means within
his reach, so increase the production
of the same as to furnish him a salts
factory yearly income and remove
from the ever temptation to sell out,
60 west and secure a larger farm, sub
jecting himself and family to all the
privations and comforts incident to
such change.
Assuming that, by an improved
system of farming, the average crops
of the ordinary farm can be doubled
(Which would not be an ordinary pre-
sumption, then the owner of an eighty
acre farm is really better off than his
neighbor owning 100 acre farm, but
who goes on in the old way, since he
has but half the number of acres to
work and pay taxes upon, while his
product is the same. 1t is true that
the amount of labor expended per acre
will be greater, but not in proportion
to the increased product. His margin
of profit will always be greater. But
this can never be accomplished under
any system of raising grain to sell of
the farm, since, however carefully and
thoroughly the ground may be worked,
each crop robs the farm of a portion
of its fertility, which, like a bank ac-
count continually becomes exhausted.
The fertility of the farm can only be
kept up by returning to it each year
as much of the elements of crop nutri
, ton as are taken out of it by the croE
grown. If we return more than we
have taken off, the land is growing
richer instead of poorer. This can be
} done only in two ways, either feeding
r the crops grown to live stock, convert
5 ing them into beef, pork, horses, wool
S mutton, or dairy products, carefully
3 saving the manure and returning it t.
the soil in such a manner as shall avoid
| as far as possible, all waste of its fertil
S izing properties, or by the liberal pur
chase of what are known as fertilizers
b. Of these two systems, our preference
r decidedly in favor Of the first as tn,
f most reliable and profitable. Manure
s is and must be the farmers main reli
a ance for maintaining and increasing tn
a productiveness of his farm, and secur
: ing the largest return in crops. TIL
e larger amount he makes and applies t
r his lands the larger returns in crops
e This enables him to keep a large
e amount of stock, which furnises large
= amount of manure. and so the process
i goes on, the farm each year increasin
in fertility and productiveness wit
corresponding profit to the owner
y But besides this matter of stable 0
d farm yard manure, which must Away
i be the small farmers reliance, ther
Il are other things which he can use 8
I' ouv;lior;oo IN cunnlonnant tho soma +