100 [Senate 



suited for cultivation, however heavy it may naturally be, which can- 

 not be rendered fertile, by freeing it from all unnecessary moisture; 

 and of all the various processes which an improved husbandry has in- 

 troduced into the management of the farm, there is none more impor- 

 tant than draining. 



An important matter in farm management is the size of the farm. 

 It cannot be denied that the tendency in this country is to large farms, 

 Size of ^^^^^^ t^^^ small ones; not that large farms may not be as well 

 Farms, cultivated as smaller ones, but that the present system here 

 prevents the application of capital, (labor, &c.) which is necessary to 

 render farming profitable. The consequence is, that the labor, the 

 manures, and the seeds of the farmer, are spread over too much sur- 

 face, and the land occupied is but half tilled, manured or seeded.* 

 How much land an able bodied man can properly cultivate, is a ques- 

 tion rather difficult to answer. One thing, however, is certain, that 



* It does not seem to be generally miderstood what a great amount of produce can be 

 taken from a few acres of well cultivated land. I have selected from a large number of 

 instances now before me, a few which will place this matter in a clear light. In none 

 of these cases was there anything which may not be equaled on any well constituted and 

 well cultivated soil. David Wedgewood, Esq. of Greenland, New-Hampshire, gathered 

 in the fall of 1842, the following products from 1| acres of land : 



274 bushels of potatoes. 

 19 " " apples. 

 6 " " green peas. 

 4 " " red cherries. 



86.^ bushels of corn. 

 5j " " beans. 

 5 " " currants. 



4 " " rare ripe peaches. 



The value of these products, at the average market price, was $120. 



Another instanse is, that of the Model Farm of Glasnevin, near Dublin, Ireland, of 52 

 acres. On it are kept 22 head of cattle, and 3 horses. It supplies, on an average, 90 per- 

 sons during the year, with farm produce, grain, mUk, butter, vegetables, potatoes, meat, 

 besides a number of private families. A large quantity of grain, and various vegetables 

 are carried to market. The manager realizes a handsome sum, after paying various rents, 

 taxes, &c., to the amount of jG400. 



In 1837, Jonathan Jenkins of Kent, Delaware, took from 38 acres divided into 5 fields, 

 the following products : 



250 bushels of oats. 



150 " " winter wheat. 



46 " " spring wheat. 

 325 " " yellow corn. 



35 tons of clover hay. 



15 tons of wheat and oat straw. 

 140 bushels of Irish potatoes. 



15 " " sweet potatoes. 



40 " " turneps. 

 Pasture for 4 cows. 



At the higi: prices of that year, these products were worth 1,692 dollars. This was 

 originally a very poor, Light soil ; but labor and manure had brought it to such a state that 

 the annual clear profit on the 38 acres, was equal to the interest on $20,000. 



Mr. Hoyt of Deerfield, Mass., in 1833, took the following produce from 3^ acres of land : 



Hay, 3A tons, $42 00 



Wheat, 11 bushels, 16 50 



Clover, 1 ton, 4 00 



Corn fodder, 10 00 



Corn, 120 bushels, $96 00 

 Potatoes, 117 " 23 40 

 Apples, 60 " 7 50 



Pumpkins, 1 caitload, 2 00 



The value of the product at the then market price it will be seen, was $201 .40, 



