The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-09-25
SOME GOOD ADVICE.


~
to Large Ones.
As q rule, small farms are the best
for many reasons. In discussing this
subject, recent writer-no less an
authority than the Statistician of the
Agricultural Bureau-pertinently and
suggestively remarks: do farmers
realize the full meaning of the small
farm plan? 1t means schools, churches.
society, culture in all directions. Mon
ster farms mean a desert, isolation.
barbarism. Small farms encourage
good tillage, make large crops. high
prices Of land and property for all. In
stead of four million farms, in less than
generation eight will be required.
Available public lands are becoming
scarce. When farms are no longer
given away, and landowners must di-
vide, they will sell only at a strong adj
vance on nominal rates. 1t is good
time for q poor man to secure foot
hold upon a convenient bit of soil,
become land speculator in COM
mendable way, and make home for
himself and children before the COM
petition for land shall crowd him to the
wall of homelessness. There is much
sense and force in this comparison of
small and large farms, for the former
naturally bring the intelligence, NOR
ality, and refinements of civilization,
| while the latter have a tendency to
produce illiteracy. roughness, and the
other disadvantages of isolation. And
the suggestion about poor men secur-
ing land of their own, is most timely
and sensible. for the period is fast APP
preaching when that will be most
difficult and expensive matter.
There are, however, other cogent
reasons why small farms should be
preferred by the great majority of cul-
tivators. The great drawback in many
sections of the country. and especially
| in the West and South. is that the
farms are too large. The result In
many instances is poor culture. bad
crops, and little or no profit. For a
| man who lacks means to invest. and is
deficient in the executive ability neces-
sary to plan and manage. can not farm
hundreds or thousands of acres sue
cessfullv. This has been time and
again demonstrated in every part of
the country where it has been attempt
ed. Our own notion is that small
farms, we'll cultivated are almost inva-
riably the most profitable; and hence,
we firmly believe (what has so often
been asserted). that if many farmer
would sell half or two-thirds of the
acres he now occupies. and poorly tills
and manages, and devote his entire
time and energies to the care and cul-
tivation of the remainder, he would
derive far more profit from his labor
and investment, with much less vexa-
ton of spirit. The fact is. as some
body truly asserts, we have too many
farmers who are ..land poor" who
have so much land they cannot make
a living. Paradoxical as this may
appear, it applies truthfully to
many naturally fertile and pro.
ductive locality. When such farmers
have learned that it is not economy to
own more land than they can till in the
most profitable manner. so that it will
paw for the money expended in keeping
it free from taxes, weeds and other en-
cumbrances, they will have solved thu
problem of ease in practical rural life
The happiest and thriftiest farmers W,
have ever known lived on farms of onl,
ten to one hundred acres, every foot o
which was made to count. On the othe
hand. the farmer who has so man,
broad acres that he can not walk owe
them daily-where rods OF fence cor
ners are never cult waited or otherwise
utilized-lives life of anxiety ant
worry. His taxes are heavy and hi
crops light. He can no. give reason
ably thorough cultivation to SO mucl
land. Now. if the farmer who own
one hundred acres of land will sell hal
of it and expend the money receives
! therefor in cultivating the other fifty
getting improved stock, implements
fertilizers, etc.-he can make each acr
produce as much as two are now do
! ing. And in many localities-notabl.
i; near markets, where choice fruits ant
! vegetables are in demand-many !,
, man with fifty or even thirty acres
might sell half his farm and cultivat.
! the remainder to like advantage.
In the Middle and New England
, States-as well as in localities else
, where which are near or easily &C
! cessible 10 good markets-there ar
, plenty of small farms of from ten t,
thirty acres. which are very profitable
while there are thousands of larg
, ones containing hundreds of acre
each. equally fertile. yet so badl.
managed. that they yield their owner
little or no dividends. 1t is the latte
, class of cultiyators. by the way. wht
croakingly aver that farming doesn'
, paw" Of which fact they are livint
witnesses. Any non-progressive read
ers who may perchance be attempting
, to bore augur holes with gimlets-b.
attempting to cultivate large farms
successfully without either the ade
. quate practical knowledge, means. o
executive ability-are advised to call /
halt, and consider whether q chang
; would not prove advantageous. In
! stead of working like slaves AM
living in q miserable manner. in orde
to run q big farm" or purchase al
the land that joins them. it woul'
be wise for hosts of farmers to sci
some of their broad acres, concen
, trate their efforts upon limited areas
and look more to the comfort and hap