St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-06-23
SELECTING a FARM.
Helpful Hints for Those DESTROYS of Pur.
chasing Improved Land.

SELECTING A FARM.
Helpful Hints for Those DESTROYS of Pur-
chasing Improved Land.
A well-intentioned person shou Id
seek to avoid close neighborship with
careless or ill-natured people. There
fore we would not choose farm hav.
ing the next house in too close prox.
unity. Cows, pigs and fowls are not
desir able neigh bors about ones prem
ises. and it is a constant raw and irri-
table sore spot when gates must be
carefully closed and wire netting put
around the garden to keep the pigs or
hens from over the way from tres
passing and committing damage. The
presence of a barnyard across the way
is another intolerable nuisance. One
is enough; that one should be ones
own. The water supply should be
looked to; the position of the house;
its situation as regards drainage; the
existence OF unhealthy marshes or
swamps, ponds, or any thing objection
able to the health or senses. or even to
the instin cts of any of the family. A
cemetery, for instance, near OF in sight
of the dwelling-house has reduced the
value of good farm 3d. 900 OF So 900;
school-house adjoining is equally
obiec ionablc. unless the farmer is
willing to have his orchard robbed.
his fences broken, the fields tres
passed upon. and the noise and tur-
moil of the boys at play constantly in
hearing. We have all been boys and
know how it is ourselves, and may
take account of this item just as it
may appear. All these little things
should be noted and studied.
The character of the supply of water
should be particularly we'll studied.
A flowing stream whose source is on
the farm is very desirable. If the
source is upon other property its char
acter should be examined and known.
There have been cases in which ponds
have been made on adjoining property
and drains run into it, and the source
Of the stream has been changed from
clean spring into a pestiferous, stag
nant pool. OF course. this was done
unlawfully. for watercourse can
not be thus polluted legally; but no
one wants to buy lawsuit which
costs more to support than all the live
stock of farm. If water is procured
from well the permanence of the
supply and the quality of the water
should be ascertained. A farm was
once purchased having a we'll which
dried out every year about July, and
remained dry until the winter rains
set in. This cost the purchaser
large sum of money and much time
every year 10 carry water in barrels
from q stream at some distance, and
at fair estimate reduced the value of
the farm $4,000 A fact like this
proves the value of a good and per-
manent supply Of water.
THE water in the soil is another
matter for study. If the land equires
drainage it means an outlay of $25 or
$50 per acre before the farm
can be made really tillable and pro-
ductive. To test this matter the soil
should be dug Into with spade three
feet deep. and if water rises in the
hole at any time of the year the land
needs thorough draining. Another
point is the situation of the farm in
regard to the prevailing winds. The
winter season is to be thought of, and
a farm exposed to the sweeping of the
northwest winds will cost more in fuel
and feed to run it than the interest
on $1,000 The effects of winds re-
suit not altogether from the tempera-
turc. but very much from their force.
A wind blowing at the rate of 40 miles
an no II at temperature Of 80 degrees
will have cooling effect four times as
great as one blowing only 10 miles an
hour, besides the more rapid current
takes away rs much heat Even in
tight barns the cooling effect Of strong
winds is very considerable. caus-
ing an excessive radiation of heat
from every thing contained in
them. This exposure Of the land has
q most important effect TOO. upon
the crops. orchards. and the condition
Of the soil.
One should never be in hurry to
buy farm. A wise course is to
.hoose the most favorable locality.
and rent any desirable farm there for
! year, or even hire house, and stay
die. living upon the interest of the
money meanwhile, as far as it will 60.
ind study well the opportunities
As ''haste makes waste"
t also brings sorrow to many too |
Eager men who fear to lose bargain.
But in the majority of cases farms
sre bought too quickly and without
sufficient judicious examination and
Hence it is there are
o many dissatisfied farmers. Henry
stewart, in N T. Times.