Ten Acres Enough* — Chap. X 



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Preparing for Alfalfa in the Fall 



(Concluded from page 22, August, iqij) 



SOMEHOW it happens, that almost every man 

 who has been city-bred feels at times a strong 

 desire to settle down among the trees and green 

 fields, from a vague and undefined belief that in the 

 country human life attains its highest development. 

 He cherishes a hope, though perhaps a faint one, 

 that he may yet possess a country house, where he 

 may tranquilly pass his latter years, far away from 

 city tumults and trials. This hope is founded on the 

 instinctive desire there is in human nature to possess 

 some portion of the earth's surface: I know that 

 one looks with indescribable interest at an acre of 

 ground which is his own. I am sure that there is 

 something remarkable about my trees. I have a 

 sense of property in every sunset over my own hills, 

 and there is perpetual pleasure in the sight of the 

 glowing landscape at my own door. I have found 

 Ten Acres Enough; and I know well what pleasures, 

 interests and compensations are to be found in the 

 little affairs of that limited tract. 



I went into the country with a determination to 

 succeed. As others had there succeeded, I could 

 not be induced to believe that failure in so simple 

 an enterprise could overtake me, as I felt quite as 

 competent as they. A resolute will overcomes all 

 difficulties. 



Even intellect is secondary in importance to will. 

 A vacillating man, no matter what his abilities, is 

 invariably pushed aside, in the race of life, by the 

 man of determination. It is he who resolves to 

 succeed, who begins resolutely again at every fresh 

 rebuff, that reaches the goal. In fact, talent with- 

 out will is like steam dissipating itself in the at- 

 mosphere; while abilities controlled by energy are 

 the same steam brought under subjection as a motive 

 power. Or will is the rudder that steers the ship, 

 which, whether a fast-sailing clipper or a slow river- 

 barge, is worthless without it. Talent, again, is 

 but the sail; will is what drives it. 



WHERE TO LOCATE — EAST OR WEST 



When buying your farm, location is perhaps 

 the most important consideration. A cash market 

 all the year round, for every variety of produce that 

 a man can raise, is of the utmost importance to 

 secure. Such is invariably to be found in close 

 proximity to the great cities; and there, singularly 

 enough, the wealthiest farmers in the Union will 

 generally be found. When we go to the extreme 

 North, where their market is limited, and where 

 they produce only the heavy grains and grasses, 

 farming is so little an object that improved places 

 can always be bought for less than their cost. 

 It is very frequently the same throughout the West, 

 where so much that is raised upon a farm is valueless; 

 and where, for even the grains, they have a market 

 which barely pays the expense of living. The 

 expense incurred in farming can be regulated by the 

 profit of the crops; and where even no manure is 

 required, the labor has to be expended, and crops in 

 distant localities often fail to pay the expense of 

 this labor. The difference in value existing be- 

 tween those farms near a market and those remote 

 from it, is enormous. 



So far as real, practical farming is concerned, it 

 will be found that the East is incomparably superior 

 to the West; but, so far as small farmers like myself 

 are concerned; it would be folly to deny this super- 

 iority. 



If my example be worth imitating, land should 

 be obtained within cheap and daily access to any 

 one of the great cities. If within reach of two, as 

 mine is, all the better, as the location thus secures 

 the choice of two markets. 



•Copyright, 1905 by Consolidated Retail Booksellers 



I sought a location in New Jersey. There un- 

 improved land, within an hour of Philadelphia, was 

 to be purchased for the same money per acre which 

 is paid in Pennsylvania as annual rent. For ten 

 to twenty dollars more, in clearing up and improving, 

 it can be made immediately productive, as the soil 

 of 'even this cheap land is far more fertile than is 

 generally supposed. Thousands of acres of this 

 description are always for sale, and thousands are 

 annually being bought and improved, as railroads 

 and turnpikes leading to the city are being es- 

 tablished. Many Germans have abandoned the 

 West, and opened farms on this cheap and ad- 

 mirably located land, from which they raise pro- 

 digious quantities of fruit and truck for Philadel- 

 phia and New York. 



To those with no capital but their own labor and 

 a determination to conquer success, these lands offer 

 the highest inducements. Most of them can be 

 had on credit, by men who will settle and improve. 

 This tract is distant but a few miles from the 

 Delaware River, and probably no better could be 

 found. Any number of locations can be had. 

 Many are already improved by buildings, fencing, 

 and all the preliminary comforts which cluster 

 round an established home. 



But there is a better country elsewhere, where 

 any number of locations may be found, improved 

 by buildings, and at moderate prices, as well as 

 on favorable terms as to payment. Vast progress 

 in improvement has been made through all this 

 region within ten years. New towns have been built, 

 new turnpikes constructed, while the great railroad 

 puts the cultivator in constant connection with 

 the two overgrown cities at its termini. A location 

 within such an atmosphere of improvement must 

 continually increase in value. The owner will find 

 himself growing richer from this cause, just as the 

 trucker on the Pennsylvania side has done — not so 

 rapidly but quite as surely. An investment in such 

 land, properly managed, and not permitted to 

 deteriorate, will assuredly pay. My own little farm 

 is an illustration, for more than once have I been 

 solicited to sell at double the price it cost me. 



But choose as he may, locate as he will, the 

 individual must not, as he hopes to profit by growing 

 the smaller fruits, locate himself out of reach of a 

 daily cash market. New York and Philadelphia 

 may be likened to two huge bags of gold, always 

 filled, and ever standing open for him to thrust 

 in his hand, provided in the other he brings some- 

 thing to eat. The appetite of the cities for horti- 

 cultural luxuries has revolutionized the neighboring 

 agriculture, enchanced the value of thousands of 

 acres, infused a higher spirit into cultivators, ele- 

 vated fruit-growing into a science, and started 

 competition in a long rivalry after the best of 

 everything that the earth can be made to yield. 

 All this is no spasmodic movement. It will go on 

 for all future time; but in this grand and humanizing 

 march after perfection in producing food for man 

 the careful tiller of the soil, with moderate views 

 and thankful heart, will be sure to find TEN 

 ACRES ENOUGH. 



(The End.) 

 60 



THERE is no better yielder of high-quality food 

 for stock of all kinds than alfalfa. While 

 autumn is not the time to sow it, there is no 

 better season for putting the ground in readiness 

 for it. Proper preparation of the soil is of 

 most urgent importance, especially that it be 

 made mellow and free from weeds. A failure with 

 alfalfa is usually due to the lack of one of these 

 essentials. Plow your land in September or October 

 and leave it exposed to the action of frost and snow 

 all winter. As soon as stable clearing begins, let 

 the manure be drawn direct from the gutters to 

 the field and spread, fining the soil with it as much 

 as possible. Plow in such a manner that the earliest 

 spring plowing may be cross plowing, to be made 

 still more fine and mellow by repeated stirring every 

 two weeks until sowing time. The result will be 

 a perfect seed bed practically free from the enemy, 

 weeds; for stirring the soil not only aerates it and 

 permits the growth of helpful bacteria, but it per- 

 secutes the little weeds that so love to start in 

 fertile and fine earth. Never forget that young 

 alfalfa is a poor fighter of weeds, and unless given 

 assistance in advance of sowing, is often vanquished. 

 Another thing to be remembered is that alfalfa will 

 not thrive on wet soil; hence now is the time to 

 put in tiles, if the place selected is not naturally 

 drained. Let the drains be put in deeply, since 

 alfalfa is a deep feeder and one of the best resisters 

 of dry weather. Now make arrangements for soil 

 with which to inoculate the field; the best time 

 to get it and put it on is when the weather is mild 

 and moist. The amount is 500 lbs. or more per 

 acre. If the soil needs lime, send now for it, and 

 spread it during the first leisure, so that it will be 

 doing its work. Percy Noel. 



Walnuts for Profit 



WOULD it be feasible to plant the paper 

 shell pecans and walnuts, both for shade 

 and profit, in Medford, Ore.? F. R. C, Oregon. 

 — I believe it is quite possible to grow the walnut 

 in Rogue River Valley, in which Medford is located. 

 However, the planter ought to use preferably the 

 native California stocks, and only the northern 

 type of nuts. These can be obtained from nursery- 

 men in the vicinity of Chico. Beginning at the 

 foundation this way, it would be necessary to plant 

 the nuts two or three in a place where it is desired 

 to grow them. 



At the age of three or four years possibly five, 

 top-graft them to the Persian, hardy varieties of 

 which we will be able to suggest at that time with 

 rather more confidence than at present. If the 

 trees are to be planted in the orchard it would 

 be better to put them at least fifty to sixty feet apart 

 on good soil which is suited for orchard purposes in 

 that section. 



As a matter of fact the cultivation of the walnut 

 as a shade tree ought to be encouraged in all parts 

 of the country where the native walnut will grow. 

 In most sections I believe it will be possible to 

 top work them successfully with some varieties of 

 Persian walnuts. The timber itself is very val- 

 uable, and the nut is becoming more so as we 

 learn to appreciate its value as a food product. 



Butternuts and hickory nuts ought to be used 

 also in every section where they will grow. For 

 shade purposes the nut trees ought to be used, 

 rather than trees which produce no edible fruit. 



Personally I should feel that anything that can 

 be done to encourage the planting of nut trees for 

 shade purposes particularly along high-ways, lanes, 

 division fences and brook sides, will result in great 

 good to the country. 



Washington, D. C. E. R. Lake. 



