Not All Work. 295 



know well the strain and worry of those first ten years. From 

 my place he went to a large farmer's home, wanting to hear both 

 sides, I presume. This man, who is as old as I about, told him 

 to buy the large farm by all means ; that he could pay the balance 

 easy enough, and then he would have something worth while. 

 He did so, and he worked and worked, early and late, and his 

 wife worked as never before in her life. I do not know just how 

 they succeeded, although I can guess easily enough, but lately 

 they have sold part of the large farm, and now they are on the 

 right track at last. They might have pulled through and paid 

 for all the land in time. It would have been a hard struggle 

 though, and entirely unnecessary, giving them little chance to 

 enjoy life as they went along, and no more after they got it paid 

 for. If they wanted to live and farm just to make money and 

 lay it up, I have my doubts whether the large farm even then 

 offered the best chances. There is a point beyond which we can- 

 not profitably go. It varies greatly with circumstances. As the 

 farm increases in size, the distance that crops must be moved to 

 the barn and manure back increases, and more time is lost going 

 to and from the work. And the larger the farm, the more skill- 

 ful must be the management, to do all work on time and prevent 

 waste and losses. Again, four men will not do twice as much as 

 the farmer and one man, not by a good deal. The moderately 

 small farm offers the best chance for thorough and timely culture, 

 and hence profit as well as pleasure. 



