Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-12-20
, The Measurement of Fields.

Every farmer should know the guam
titY of land in each field on his farm.
To possess this knowledge is of much
Importance, and will more than pay
him for the time spent and the expense
in obtaining it. Then there is a person
al satisfaction derived from the knowl-
edge of the number of acres contained
in each field, besides the advantages it
affords in many respects. When. ma
nuring field of a known quantity of
acres, we know how much manure is
applied per acre, which may prove ben
eficial in the future, or when manuring
other fields. The same is true in plOw-
ing. Knowing how much a team can
plow in a day, the farmer can always
tell if he is overworking the horses. He
knows when the field may be finished,
the weather being favorable; also the
time required to harvest the crop. But
what is of more Importance is the guam
tity of seed to be used. We know from
experience the advantages to be gained
by changing seed. To do this properly,
it may be necessary to go to a consider
able distance to obtain the desired va
riety, in a proper condition for sowing.
By knowing the exact quantity of acres a
field contains, we know exactly how
much seed to prepare and regulate for
thick or thin sowing as we desire. An
other advantage in the seeding. we know
how much to take with us to the field,
and perhaps save an extra trip to the
barn or granary for more seed. Or it
may be that the seed has been obtained
at a considerable distance, and not hav-
ing enough to finish, a strip is sown in
some other variety. This is bad prac-
tice, as all grains mix.
When the farmer knows the exact
number of acres in a field, and how
much seed has been soWn on it from
time to time, it serves as a guide in the
future, and enables him to see wherein
he has failed by too thick or too thin
sowing. All such errors should be cor
rectly noted and improvement made if
possible. No business man, either man
ufacturer or merchant, in the large
towns and cities, meets with success I'M
| less he is exact and correct in his busi-
ness transactions. Then why should
the farmer be less so? Another very
| important matter in this State connected
with the knowledge of how many acres
are contained in each field, will well pay
| for their measurement. When the As
SCISSOR comes round to make the assess
| menu lot JaAdGiOn, nc uIllSb dG Tic Sebu1S
| time take the number of acres cultiva-
ted in the various crops, and the bush
els produced. The farmer is not re-
| quired by law to swear to the exactness
of his statements, but he is required to
make a return to the best Of his ability;
and as these statements are for the mu-
tual benefit oil all, it is his duty as a cit
izen to do so. Then knowing the num-
Der of acres in each field, how easy it is
for him to make correct estimates.
But there is yet another matter con-
nected with knowing the exact amount
of acres in each field-the land must be
re-valued for taxation in given num-
Der of years. When the appraiser comes
round for that purpose, the farmer,
| knowing the exact number of acres in
each field, is enabled to give correctly
the number of acres under cultivation,
number of acres in meadow and pas
ture, number of acres in timber, and
the number of acres of waste land.
These are matters of much importance
to him, and may to some extent change
the amount of taxes he might be other
wise required to pay Country Gentle
man.