TILE DKALNAGE. 51 



CHAPTER IV. 

 Does Tillage Pay Better than Grazing ? 



Nearly all that was said in the second chapter was based 

 on the assumption that tillage pays best; that the actual 

 plowing of the ground, and the planting and tillage of crops, 

 at least on a part of the farm, pay better than exclusive 

 grazing with no 'agriculture or horticuUwe proper ; that is, 

 little tillage of farm, or planting of garden, orchard, and vine- 

 yard. The assumption has not been in favor of exclusive 

 vegetable farming, but of " mixed farming ; " not in the sense 

 of confused raising of very many kinds of crops and stock, 

 but in the only proper sense of the term; that is, the judi- 

 cious blending of one or more kinds of animal farming with 

 one or more kinds of cereal and vegetable farming, both be- 

 ing of kinds adapted to the soil of the farm and the tastes 

 and talents of the farmer, and so an anged as not to bring 

 conflict of work. 



It may be well to say a few words directly in favor of this 

 assumption, in addition to the facts given in Chapter III , 

 and to review what is known or believed concerning the 

 agricultural development of the human race through its 

 various stages of growth. Such a review, I believe, will es- 

 tablish the truth that, by far the largest population can be 

 supported on any given area under agriculture and horti- 

 cultuwthut is, the plowing and tillage of farm and garden, 

 and that these are the most profitable. 



The first stage in the agricultural development of man as 

 man, we suppose to have been what is called the savage 

 state. Men then had language more or less develoj ed, and 

 some power of making and using rude weapons and imple- 

 ments of the chase. They hunted the forests, fished the 

 streams, and picked berries, nuts, acorns, and the like ; that 

 is, they lived upon earth's spontaneous products, chiefly 



