270 



Elements of PracUenl Agriculture. 



Vol. II. 



reer; having always lived in comfort, and it 

 looks likely that I shall be able to leave quite 

 enough to those who may come after me, to 

 promote their best interests. 



Let young men set out in life with a firm 

 reliance on the superintending providence of 

 God in all the things of this world, and re- 

 solve to ply the hand of industry in what- 

 ever calling they may be engaged.. Be jnu- 

 dent ; pursue a rational economy ; des- 

 pise not SMALL GAINS ; and under the ordinary 

 circumstances of life you will be prosperous, 

 perhaps rich. 



The prospects in life of more industrious 

 young men are frustrated by the effort to get 

 great gain quickly, than by any other cause 

 whatever. Small accumulations, well hus- 

 banded, are the most certain and effectual 

 in promoting comfort and wealth; the truth 

 of this remark you' cannot fail to see verified 

 in every district of our country; but "those 

 who seek after sudden riches fall into tempta- 

 tion and a snare." 



I have often heard young men despise the 

 idea of making but 100, 200 or 300 dollars a 

 year, thhiking it beneath their notice ; and 

 I have lived to see some such persons receive 

 charity from the hands of the servants of their 

 fathers. It is by no means an unusual cir- 

 cumstance in our country to see those who 

 were "bound boys" to farmers, by industry 

 and good conduct rise to opulence ; at the 

 same time that their master's sons who were 

 thought to be born to wealth, for want of 

 those qualities, have ended their days in 

 penury. 



An experienced old gentleman, many 

 years ago, when I was young, gave me some 

 very judicious hints on the subject of" small 

 gains," and explained to me the manner in 

 which they accumulated, and what the end 

 would be, if followed up carefully ; and if 

 you have noobjection, Mr. Farmer's Cabinet, 

 I will give you a table that is true to a figure, 

 and which will show the wonder workings 

 of money if it be let alone to accumulate; 

 and I would have you observe that the same 

 result will be produced, only in a much more 

 extraordinary degree, by adding each year, 

 not money, but additional fertility to the 

 same amount to a farm. 



One hundred dollars put to interest at 6 



per cent, and an additional ,f 100 added to it 



each year successively, together with thr 



interest accumulated for 10 years will 



amount to ^1318 07 



An annuity of $100 in 20 yrs. ams. to 3678 55 



do 30 do 7905 81 



do 40 do 15476 19 



do 50 do 29033 59 



do 60 do 53312 81 



do 70 do 96793 21 



Annuity of $100 in 80 yrs. am't to 174659 98 

 do 90 do 314107 51 



do 100 do 5638:36 80 



Only think of it ! the poor despised 100 

 dollars a year! see the wonderful workings 

 of It! it is almost incredible ! I could scarce- 

 ly believe it myself, if I was not positively 

 certain the calculation was correct to a 

 figure. Now is there a farm of 100 acres 

 within 30 miles of Philadelphia, that by 

 ordinary management would not produce 

 100 dollars per annum, clear ; or that would 

 not enable its owner to add 100 dollars worth 

 of fertility to it annually ? if there is not, 

 then the above miracle almost, may be 

 wrought out. Take courage young men, 

 try it! do not desert your honorable calling 

 for wild, uncertain speculation; try it ! stick 

 to your calling, I say, and you will not re- 

 pent of it. 



Bucks County. 



Slements of Practical Agriculture. 



DRAINING. 

 Principles to be ever liept in mind by the tillage" 



'ri™r ^"^-^ '° ^^^^ '"^ ^^^^ '^'■y- "^'' ^"^ clean.— 

 1 lie first in the order of these principles, and an es- 

 sential one to be regarded in cold and humid coun- 

 tries, is to keep the land dry. 



While a certain portion of water is essential to 

 vegetation, an excess of it may prove greatly injuri- 

 ous. Jn the colder countries an excess of water is 

 one of tlie main causes of infertility, and a primary 

 purpose of the husbandman there is to carry it 

 away from the ground. 



The water which falls from the atmosphere does 

 not sink to an indefinite depth, nor generally to a 

 great depth, in the earth. It is either retained at or 

 near the surface wliere it falls, and whence it is 

 evaporated, or it finds its way to a lower level, by 

 channels upon the surface, or in chinks of rocks, or 

 beds of gravel, sand, and other permeable substan- 

 ces beneath the surface. 



When water stagnates at or near the surface, or 

 when, having penetrated to pervious substances be- 

 low the surface, it is finding its way to a lower 

 level, the purpose of the drainer is to co.ifine it to 

 a determinate channel, and carry it away by some 

 convenient outlet, in order that it may not overflow 

 or saturate the soil. 



The d-ains for conveying away water from the 

 surface are :— The ditches of fields, which ought 

 to be so laid out as to favor the descent of water, 

 the open furrows which are formed by the ridges, 

 and trenches dug in the places necessary for allow- 

 ing a passage to the water. 



The trenches for carrying away surface water, 

 are usually left uncovered, and they are termed 

 open drains. But sometimes tJiey are partly filled 

 with stones or other substances, and then covered 

 with earth, so that while the surface water may 

 sink down and be carried away, the tilling instru- 

 ments may not be interrupted. 



In the forming of open drains, the dimensions 

 must b ■ fiixed with relation 19 the quantity of water 

 to be carried away, and the direction determined 

 by the natur.ilflow of the water, or by the particu- 

 lar course by which it is e.xpcdient to conduct it 

 Irom the ground. In general, open drains are 

 formed in the hollows or lov/er parts of the land to 

 be drained, so that the water may find access to 



