Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-11-03
THE SMALL FARM THE FARM OF
THE FUTURE.

In the small farm lies the future OF
the South. The difficulty in getting
negro labor that is willing to work
the much more profitable results Of
intensive agriculture, the fact that il
has been demonstrated that it pays
better to raise one to two bales OF
cotton to tie acre than a third of a
bale, and other crops in proportion
and, above all, the rapidly increasing
value of farming lands, all tend 10
lead to the splitting up of large plan
tations and the establishment of the
farms of 100 to 300 acres. occupied
and worked by their owners.
1t is this trend that means the most
for the South Of the future This viii
bring its rapid development along all
lines. AS it comes about the conditions
Of life in the country will become vast
Iy better and more desirable, each
county will show a tremendous in
crease in assessable values, roads
schools, everything that makes life
more pleasant outside 0 fthe cities, will
show a vast betterment. Agriculture
will never revert to its former condi-
ton OF irksomeness and hardship. It
is destined more and more to become
life not only of comparative freedom,
but of increasing comfort, pleasure
and profit And the smaller farms will
do their part in establishing this new
state
An exchange points out that all OF
the instances of intensive agriculture
in America pale in interest alongside
of those afforded by the market gar
dens Of such countries as France and
Belgium. Think Of little farm al
two and a half acres which gives en-
pigment for full working day tc
eight men and women and which ie
alleged to give nearly 125 tons weight
Of produce during one season. This
seems incredible, but one instance Is
given by Ernest Poole in Success Mag
azine 1t was a French market gar
dener, by the way, who demonstrated
at Kansas City, last year, that one acre
intensively cultivated will produce
enough to support a small family
not merely furnish it food for it's own
sustenance, but enough to sell and
thereby secure the other necessaries
of life. This was done at a minimum
expenditure of fertilizer and on ordi-
nary soil.
But the French farmer has Studied
the art of making the soil produce it's
utmost and he not only does this, but
I've actually makes his own soil Hay-
ing made it he considers it personal
property, and if a lessee he carries his
soil away with him when he surren-
ders his lease. More than half the
farms of France, we are told, are but
two or two and "a half acres in extent
and no wonder. The rent of the land
would buy small farm in Sumter coun-
ty, with all this sections superb adj
Two and a half acres of
this French land We are told would rent
for from $500 to 81 $50 a year. This
IS for the mere foundation on which he
spreads tie soil he has made and the
farm buildings. Yet the French far
ner pays such rents and makes enough
o live on in comfort, to keep balance
n bank and even, it would seem, to-
invest in good securities.
These simple French farmers are
as many as seven crops al
ear, it is asserted, from these tiny
arms which are never allowed to rest
Ind on which no space is wasted; for
he pathways are less than foot wide,
,oxes and barrels take the place of
and only hand tools are
Used. Like the soil, the climate with
which the FrencD peasant works is
argely artificial. He makes great use
Il glass, though not so much of
apparently.
The lesson of it all--or one lesson |
lis that this world is capable of suppl
orting in comfort many more people
han are now living on it, if properly /
reated. IA population twenty fold |
anger than that now found in America
ould live witb more general comfort
Iithin its bounds if these things were
n1erstood and practical.