Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1897-11-18
FARMER PLANTER.
The SMALL FARM.
There 10 rruat In . iItti. r.rm If II 4.
wen rll~a.

wei rlitsd-
Many farFaers spread their labor<
over too grra. an area Of land. doing
nothing we'll and icing always bur
ried and behi nd IN their work. with no
time for rcst or recreation isy at
tempting to cover too much ground
the work j. only half accomplished.
with the result that the yield Is much
lessened ant lac quality " an inferior
/ grade 80 thst the retaras from the
large farm in many Instances will not
cover cost Cf productions. while. If
there should be a small surplus. laryc
taxes and cost Of repairs will swallow
II up. - that the hard worked farmer
has nothing to show at the end Of the
year for his loug season of tedious la
Dor.
Of course there are some men pos
sessed with capital and exceptional
business talent who are making large
farms pay all expenses and Weld n
HANDSOME profit besiles: but the ma
lority Of farmers will secure better re-
suits aud obtain more res,l enjoyment
for themselves aud families by adopt
iry system OF extensive farming.
The writer has but ~ acres of land.
hall of which IS under cultivation, the
other half being in sugar brush and
pasture. rs II il unsaited for tillage.
Prom this - acres Of tillable land is
produced enough To maintain n family
OF SIX persons. aud fodder for the stock
kept. besides sufficient TO sell to return a
handsome Surplus each year. A couple
OF wetl-bred Jersey cows are kept
which give an abundance of whole
some butter and cream for the table
and some to sell. Generally three
horses are kept. eight to ten ewes. and
enough hogs TO furnish pork for family
use aud s.x or eight for sale each sea
son small flock Of poultry is kept.
anu from ten to twenty colonies of
bees Nv giving the best of tillage.
enough wheat i grown for use, suf-
hsient clover and timothy for stock.
and soms corn. oats and peas; but oc-
casionally little rough grain and
shorts - purchased to add to the roots
which are grown and boiled for
the hogs A considerable guam
tity OF onions are grown for
sale each year. and there is n
well-cared-for apple orchard of JOS
trees The main money crop il small
fruit, Of which there are some eight
acres under culture. Our returns from
tins usually average about $50 per acre
clear Of all expenses.
With such a farm taxes are low, and
fencing repairs and machinery cost
but little. ~ that there IL a handsome
income and but little outlay as com
pared with larger farms.
There - always an abundance Of
fruit, both fresh and preserved. n CON
slant supply of maple strip and choice
honey, extracted and in the comb.
which, with vegetables and the prod
net of the. poultry yard and dairy,
leaves little to be desired for the table
at all seasons.
In the fall there is always time for
the family to take short pleasure
trip ur holiday Of some desert ptiou, and
during the long winter there is ample
leisue for. improving the mind by
read ne and study, and for maturing
Plans for the following season's work.
W. are but young farmers, and. OF
course. there are much needed i'm
provements which we shall make n.
circumstances admit; but we would
not exchange our present farm life fol
home in the city, or for larger faru
with its increased expenses and long
hours of toll throughout the entire
year.-Cor. Epitomist.