The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-06-06
SMALL FARMS.

One of the causes of failure in agricul-
tural pursuits is the haste to get rich.
This 1t is which leads many to seek
larger farms than they acn successfully
cultivate. 1t Is a fatal m.stake. instead
of combining themselves to areas which
they can profitably manage they under,
take the cultivation of tracts Of land
which demand the expenditure of labor
and money beyond their means. Need
less debts and calling NOR .ases are
often the fruits OF this foolish ambition.
Two men came to Puget sound soine
years ago from a manu6ictory In a, dis
tant city to become farmers. Each had
a wife. They settled on adjoining claims
in fertile valley. One believed IN max
Ing haste slowly" the other was In q
nurry to get rich. The former COM
menced by clearing and planting half
an acre, on which he raised more vege>
tables than he and his wife could COM
sumo before another planting season. In
the second and each succeeding year he
added to the area under CULTIVATION, until
he had five or six acres fenced and
planted in fruits and vegetables. He
nired neighbor to do his plowing, which
he supplemented by vigorous use of the
spade In his own hands. Cows, poultry
and pigs. from q very small beginning,
multiplied rapidly around him. He found
a ready sale at good prices for his pro-.
ducts Of every kind. BY combining fru.
gality with industry he soon found him.
self possessed not only of surplus pro-
ducts, but also OF surplus cash. In short.
1t was not long before he had money to
lend, and within ten years ceased to de,
pend upon his labor for a livelihood.
Very different was the course pursued
by his friend and neighbor. He did not
believe In going slow. After exhausting
the limited means with which he started
he incurred a heavy indebtedness for
costly farming impliments, horses,
wagons, etc., In determination to bring
the larger part Of his 100 acres under
cultivation the first season. This. as he
soon found, was fatal error His crops,
when marketed. realized much less than
his expenses, interest on debt included.
At the end OF the second year his pecun-
larry condition was worse. Having COM
menced wrong, his embarrassments in
CREASED as the years rolled by. In FIVE
years he got to the end Of his rope; then
the sheriff stepped In and sold him out.
These two cases, both OF which came
under the observation OF the writer. can
be multiplied many times; they are but
a sample Of many like cases In this and
,'her states. All along the shores Of.
Puget sound, on island and mainland,
are settlers who are living In comfort
and accommodating money by cultlvatins
two or three acres OF land. 1t is only
when they desire to grow large quanti-
ties OF fruit-apples, pears, plums, cher
rles, etc.,-that they require or cultivate
eight or ten acres.
1t Is not good for men TO live alone, as
many do on large tracts Of land. The
man who avoids the society Of his fellow
creatures has already lost portion OF
his moral health The tendency Of isola-
ton Is to degrade and degenerate; II not
unfrequently leads to insanity. Hence
the less sparce the agricultural popula-
tion, the more closely they are brought
into contact with each other, the less
chance is there OF Its members degenerat-
ing. Social, intercourse tends to enllght-
eminent, refinement and progress: its
avoidance leads TO opposite results.
Thus everything favors the small
farmer and close neighborly relations.
There may be some glory in being mon
arch Of all you survey" but there Is
little profit in 1t.