No. 9. 



Dialogue between a Father and Son. 



271 



Father. — Just so — and a very short and 

 satisfactory definition it is. But to be ena- 

 bled to do this, tiie greatest exertions must 

 be made in summer, to secure abundant re- 

 sources for that season ; and by cultivating 

 the silesian beet-root, we are enabled to do 

 what we wish and all we wish. 



Frank. — The cultivation of that root must 

 be of the utmost importance to tiio stock- 

 farmer, as well as to the stoci^-feeder and 

 dairy-man ; what astimishing accounts of its 

 produce we hear and read of! and the hold 

 which it has obtained on public estimation it 

 keeps, for sugar beet beef, and mutton and 

 butter, are all the rage. Were you not en- 

 gaged in the first introduction of that crop 

 into this country \ 



Father. — As " A^ent to the Beet Sugar 

 Society of Piiiladelphia," the seed whicli I 

 selected in France, and sent to this country, 

 proved to be of the * purest kind, and of tlie 

 best quality; if it had been ot-hervviso, it 

 might not so readily have obtained the favour 

 which it now enjoys ; a circumstance of 

 trifling consequence to appearance, but very j 

 important in its results, for to this might, in 

 a great measure, be attributed the enormous 

 crops that have been raised the last year, 

 amounting to forty, fifty, and even sixty tons 

 per acre, with roots of twenty-seven pounds] 

 each in weight ! 



Frank. — Well, now, would it not be very 

 easy for you to sketch a mode of farming 

 upon paper, and make a map of a convenient 

 sized farm, with arrangements for suitoble 

 buildings, and every thing as it should be ! To 

 be sure, it would only be farming upon 

 paper — which is, however, as many of our 

 poor neighbours would now confess, the 

 easiest mode of farming — but still, a life of 

 practical observation must afford the means 

 of rendering even that interesting to many. 



Father. — Well, then, suppose we see what 

 can be done in the way of farming upon 

 paper. You see we shall enjoy great advan- 

 tages — first, we shall be able to obtain, with- 

 out money, just as much land, and of the 

 quality we wish, and in the pleasantest 

 situation imaginable ; with facilities for fenc- 

 ing and cultivating it to our hearts content ; 

 no impediments to our progress, and within 

 reach of every desirable object, churches, 

 schools and markets — as the advertisements 

 say. Still, I believe, although only upon 

 paper, that such a plan might be made in- 

 teresting, even to the practical agriculturist, 

 and from which he might possibly be able to 

 to gather a new idea, which would be doing 

 much. 



* The difference in the quantity of saccharine mat- 

 ter containeil in the varieties of the beet, is often- 

 times as twelve to two ia favoui' of the true silesian 

 or white beet. 



Now, at the outset, I must tell you I moan 

 to farm according to tlie " new-school !" the 

 first rule being, to possess 7io more land than 

 you can properly manage; and as I know 

 at this time a farm of twenty-five acres 

 wliicli yichls more produce, greatefin quan- 

 tity and infinitely better in quahty, tlian the 

 adjoining farm of one huiulrcil and 'fitly acres, 

 of exactly the same natural quality of soil, 

 I sliall con.fiae myself to a square of land of 

 one hundred acres; pleasantly located of 

 course, and of good quality; cleared (for I 

 fear we sliould not be good "at chopping) but 

 not fenced — (see the plan at p. 52, of vol. iii. 

 Cabinet.) 



Frank. — Well, father, I long to be at it 

 Father. — You see already tlie advantao-e 

 of farming upon paper, for by taking a square 

 of land, with nothing to obstruct our plans, 

 we shall be able to throw all our enclosures 

 into the most convenient form and size, with- 

 out the least difficulty: namely, in the first 

 instance, into four fields of sixteen acres each, 

 four of eight acrv^s each, and one of four 

 acres, exactly in the centre of the farm, in 

 which are to be placed t!ie buildings of every 

 description, farm-yards, garden, orchards, &c. 

 Now a square of land, measuring seven 

 hundred yards each way, contains one hun- 

 dred acres, and about an acre and a quarter, 

 as space for fences. The outer fence should 

 be made first, after which, the four inner 

 fences ; by which simple operation, tlie whole 

 land will at once be divided into four fifelds of 

 sixteen acres, four of eight acres and one of 

 four acres. Cultivate at first the four fields 

 of eight acres each only, the course of crops 

 being beets, oats, clover, wheat. The four 

 fields of sixteen acres each, may, in the mean 

 time, remain in grass, being top-dressed with 

 lime, marl, or compost, and fed with sheep or 

 cattle ; these to be regularly changed from 

 pasture to pasture, upon those fields not de- 

 voted to the hay crop, one or two of them, 

 however, being reserved for this purpose; 

 and wiien, at a future time, it should be de- 

 sirable to subdivide these fields, to Wing them 

 into cultivation, two fences will do the busi- 

 ness most effectually and conveniently, bring- 

 insr four more fields, or double the quantity 

 of land, into cultivation. 



Frank. — Well, this would be a large farm 

 — four fields of sixteen acres each, and four 

 of eight acres, under good management — why 

 who need require more ? 



Father. — I admit that as much produce 

 could be obtained from these one hundred 

 acres, higiily cultivated and heavily manured, 

 and devoted to useful crops — not weeds — as 

 from farms of five times the size, whose own- 

 ers conceive that " land won't pay for good 

 management," and where one-half is devoted 

 to weeds, and what is sometimes called tirn- 



