INTENSIVE AND EXTENSIVE FARMING 155 



crops. But such a demonstration means nothing if the 

 cost of production is more than the value of the crops 

 grown. It may be interesting in showing us how easy it 

 will be to increase crops when the prices received warrant 

 the increase. Much of the hill land now in farms should 

 be used in the least intensive way, that is, for forests. 



FIG. 49. Using land too intensively. This land should be kept in 

 permanent pasture. The farmer cannot make reasonable wages by 

 working it. When population becomes very dense, it may be needed 

 for crops. 



In the early days, when most of the work was done with 

 hand tools or oxen, the farmers seemed to have no idea 

 of the difference between vertical and horizontal. Much 

 land was cleared that is too steep for profitable use, except 

 in growing lumber. Hills were not such a serious obstacle 

 to scythes and grain cradles. If land is too steep for the 

 use of modern machinery, it should be allowed to grow 

 lumber or pasture. A profitable way of using much of 

 it is to fence it in fairly large tracts for pasture. If the 

 pasture is too small, the cost of fencing is too great. 



