The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-09-17
Agricultural.


4
The farm 81 shess older states vere hevr
ont Of The forest before the more produc.
tive lasds al The West we're knouu The
early ssts,srs hsv anticipated The susdi
vision Of their lands among their dcsccn-
dsnis They plsDned largely for the fn-
iure. aud cleared extensive farms. Their
foresight was wise when judged by tbs
Circumstances Of the time. But the set
slcmen. OF the West has wrought changes
surprising 10 us. uudresnei Of by oui
fathers This settlement has made the
heaviest drain upon the farming popnla
ton Of New Engisnd II has cheapened
the values d farm products and enhanced
the prices OF labor. The profits hare gone
10 the one direction or the oihof. The
present holden Of the fsrms find them,
selves with more acres on their hands
than they can TIL. II is found that profit.
able farming requires that the soil be put
u state OF productiveness 81 ual to that
Of the West II il not altogether ques-
ton whether this can be done At profit
or loss lit were easily practicable. il ia
BY no means certain that il would be de-
sirabls. The general public has large in
terests q stake 90 this point. Much Of
tho soil Of New England can be made as
productive = that Of the West; but for
this We nsst pay. oyer and above the cost
Of labor and fertilizers applied. just what
the West had always had 70 pay for its
fertility-an annual stipend OF disease.
The pure air Of our hills would be tainted
and vitisted; the springs and streams
would be corrupted
The appearance Of malaria where tobac-
co is cultivated along the Connecticut and
other streams. shows what sort OF . curse
follows close spon high farming. Many
an enterprising farmer makes his fields an
offense 10 his neighbors and to the casual
passer by. and thinks himself entitled to
credit for this. He who makes two blades
Of grass grow where but one grew before
does we'll. whore that was the proper
thing to be done; but wherever this
involves any risk 10 the health Of him
self or Others, the ono who refrains from,
cultivating the extra blade Of grass does
the better.
The question remains, What shall be
done with the acres Of cleared land which
can no longer be titled? The farms cannot
be divided and portions Of them sold. for
there are no purchasers to be found. The
giving up Of the harder. the poorer. and
the roughsr fields and pastures to the
growth Of wood and timber ought now to
be encouraged as good husbandry. 1t
causes regret TO see how much Of labor is
lost. Many Of the best wood lots Of New
England are fenced with substantial walls
OF stone. These walls were built about
cultivated fields 10 protect very different
crops from this; indeed, the trees need no
projection. The builders were shrewd,
far seeing, practical men, but they could
not foresee the competition which cheap
transportation was TO bring. 1t the
men of that generation were living today.
they would be quick to note the changed
conditions under which their calling must
be followed, and would relinquish to nat
ure the lands which they could no longer
control. In this they would see the land
besutified and enriched, our fountains and
streams saved from pollution, and the air
Of our hills made fragrant and healthful
with the odors Of pine and Of ir.-Bostoa
Tran s,,.iDI