The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-14
Marking a Small Farm.


G. Eek well in american Agricutturist
says: 81 tried farming on 4O-acre tract
for eight years, and was well pleased with
the results In Michigan, Wisconsin, lndi-
ana, and some other states, the system OF
small far ming is enlarging in scope. went
into the venture little skeptical OF the
outcome, having always regarded forty
acres as merely big lot on a fair-sized
farm After the experience mentioned
am convinced that there are advantages
that sixteenth of a land section possesses
over a quarter. Regarding the average of
farmers, there are few who till more than
forty acres unless they are extensive grain
raisers A dairyman requires more land
for pasturage and meadow, but in nine
cases out of ten his cultivated area would
not exceed the space mentioned. 1t takes
only a mile of fence to enclose forty acres,
includi ng one on the highway border. which
might be dispensed with. As the erection
and me intenance of the other 240 rods OF
line ferce falls only half on the owner of
the PREF misses, a great expense is saved. If
the forty acres are reasonably level, and
the dwelling and barns are near the high
way, run lane parallel with the road
clear across the farm. Then divide the
fields so that all have a frontage on the
lane. The length of the fields gives long
furrow, with its consequent advantages.
The house and barn are near to every field.
The front. cut in twain by the buildings and
yards, can be utilized for orchard and small
fruit culture. 1t is mistake to suppose
that forty acres afford only enough space
for truck patch. OF course. if near a
good city market, Embarrassing will pay
above anything else, but not all farmers are
supposed to be so ia vorably located as that,
and must needs dep md on the cultivation
of the common stap lie crops. Do not neg
lect the orch ard, fo that is the best finan-
cial auxiliary of tn Q farm. The market is
never overstocked With choice pears aud fine
varieties of apples. On a small farm it is
best to adhere to NJ liked production, and not
follow special cropping, unless it is clearly
to advantage. There are instances, as of
raising corn and vegetables for local can
ming, or sweet potatoes and melons for ship
ping, where a speciality of production is de-
sirable. We will suppose there are forty
acres. On this one can advantageously
keep three or four cows, and good heavy
draught horse, the latter to constitute the
team OF course, more cows could be
kept, but we are not talking OF an exclu-
sive dairy farm. The manure from the
stock should all be carefully saved, and ap-
piled judciously to the land. The COWS
will yield calves every year, which may be
veaed or kept to sell in the fall. If mare
is substituted for the horse, with care colt
could be raised each year. A hennery is in
dispenseble to a small place. 1t would not
do to let the fowls run abroad and destroy
the crops, so it would be, necessary to pro-
vide ample yard Accommodations aud we'll
arranged hen house. The garden is an i'm
portant auxiliary also. Not little patch.
but a broad tract of an aero or two, where
one can raise crisp celery in quantities to
dispose of at wholesale, cucumbsrs to put
down into pickles, and numberless varieties
of vegetables fully as profitable When
one gets right down to it and farms forty
acres as it can and should be cultivated, he
will find all of his time engaged from one
years end to another, and last, but not least,
will be MS own master at all times"