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I M P 



I M P 



sider that the cost of raising a poor 

 crop, ono time with another, is 

 nearly as much as that of raising a 

 large one. There is the same ex- 

 pended in fencing — the same tax 

 paid — the same quantity of seed 

 sown — the same almost expended 

 in ploughing, as rich land ploughs 

 so much'more easily than poor, as 

 to make up for the extra number of 

 ploughings in a course of tillage. I 

 may add, there is the same or more 

 labour in thrashing. An attention 

 to these things is enough to con- 

 vince any one of the great impor- 

 tance of endeavouring to improve 

 crops by a more spirited and ra- 

 tional husbandry. 



If a farmer think lie cannot af- 

 ford to lay out a farthing more on 

 the tillage of an acre, than he has 

 been accustomed to do, let him be 

 entreated to save a little in fencing, 

 and so enable himself to do it, leav- 

 ing out some of his lands that bring 

 little or no profit, and pay tax- 

 es for a less quantity of land in til- 

 lage ; or let him turn some of his 

 tillage land to grass ; and lay out 

 the same quantities of labour and 

 manure on a third less land in til- 

 lage. Lands m tillage might thus 

 be made profitable ; and more so 

 than mary are ready to imagine. 



it has often been observed, that 

 those farmers in this country who 

 have the fewest acres, commonly 

 get the best living from their farms. 

 It is, doubtless, because their lands 

 are under better cultivation. And 

 some have taken occasion to re- 

 mark, that our farmers are ruined 

 by the great plenty of land in their 

 possession. Though this remark 

 is just, I can see no reason why it 



should continue to be so ; any 

 more than, that being rich should 

 necessarily make a man poor. — 

 What need has the man who pos- 

 sesses three hundred acres, to de- 

 stroy the wood, or clear the land, 

 as they call it, any faster than he 

 can make use of the soil to the best 

 advantage ? What need has he to 

 be at the expense of enclosing 

 more than his neighbour does, who 

 has only one hundred acres, while 

 he has no more ability, or occasion, 

 for doing it? Or to pay taxes for 

 more acres in grass or tillage ? It 

 is a foolish and ruinating ambition 

 in any one, to desire to have a wide 

 farm, that he may appear to be 

 rich, when he is able to give it on- 

 ly a partial and slovenly culture. 



If such improvements as are pos- 

 sible, and even easy, were made in 

 the husbandry of this country, ma- 

 ny and great advantages would be 

 found to arise. As twice the num- 

 ber of people might be supported 

 on the same quantity of land, all 

 our farming towns would become 

 twice as populous as they are like- 

 ly to be in the present state of hus- 

 bandry. There would be, in gen- 

 eral, but half the distance to travel 

 to visit our friends and acquaint- 

 ance. Friends might oftener see, 

 atid converse with each other. — 

 Half the labour would be saved in 

 carrying corn to mill, and produce 

 to market; half the journeying sa- 

 ved in attending courts ; and half 

 the expense in supporting govern- 

 ment, and in making and repairing 

 roads; half the distance saved, in 

 going to the smith, the weaver, 

 clothier, &c. ; half the distance 

 saved in going to pubhc worship, 



