Ten Acres Enough

272 Pages·2017·3.62 MB·English

by  Morris, Edmund, 1804-1874

G
N N U
TE A
O
H
C C C
A R TI L EXP ERI EN E
P A A
NG
S H OW I
H O W A VERY SMALL FARM MAY BE
MAD E T O KEEP A VERY LARGE FAMILY
BY
IT H I T CTI
W N RO D U O N
C
R BERT
I S A A P H I LLI P S O S
I T I L T L T I T
E R R O E O R R R E E E R E O R
EM US P F S S O F A G CU U A D A N A ND D C O F
,
L L I LT L L I I T
O E R R E O R E R
TH E C EG O F A G CU U O F C N UN VE S Y
A
T H
U O R O F
“ FA M T A ! “ H ! “ A M ’
TH E R S E D T H E O RS E TH E F R ER S
, ,
B A
I H !
US NES S ND BO O K
,
NEW YO RK
C O N S O L I D AT ED RETAI L BO O K S EL L ERS
I 9 0 5
“ m
A l l LI BRA RY A GR I CULT UI !
-
I T
CO R E
P Y GH D 1 905 BY
, ,
O NS O LI DAT D R TA L BO OKS LLE S
C
I
E E E R
LI O T
P E O E R
C
UB B
S H D 1 90 5
, , .
i e i e S e A e i
P U
! t d i th t d t t f m !
r n n e n a s o r ca
.
C
I NTROD U TI ON
.
Wha t Jeth ro T u l l di d t i m p rov e til lage th e
o
,
f
au th o r T e n A c re s E no gh d i d t p rov e tha t
o u o
i nte n s ifi e d agri c u ltu re on s ma l l are a s c ou l d b e ma d e
not only to s up p or t a fam il y b t to y ie l d a h an d
u
,
so m e p rofi t an d h e alth fr ee d o m a nd h ap p ine s s
as
, ,
we ll I t ha s tak e n two c e n tu rie s for th e m o s t d
a
.
d fa rm e r s t app re c ia te T u l l an d h i s te a ch ings
vanc e o
.
t
I t h a s ak e n ne arly h alf a c e ntu ry i n th i s
p rogres
s ive age t app re c ia te an d to p u t i n p ra c tic e i n a
o
,
fe e bl e way th e fu nda m e ntal p rin c ip le s wh i c h u nde r
,
lie al l de alings with M oth e r E ar th a s t forth
ou r se
h
in t i s m ode s t volu m e of t wo h u ndre d page s
.
I f on e to tal ly ignorant o f th e pr in c iple s an d
pra c
tic e s of th e a riou s op e ra tion s n e ce s sa ry to b ring t
v o
pe rfe c tion th e m any pla nts With wh ich Agri cu ltu re
h as t d o we r e lim i te d to t w pu bli c a ti on s I wou l d
o o
, ,
advi s e h i m to pu c ha s e H ors e Ho e ing Hu sb an dr y
r
-
and T e n Ac re s E nou gh
.
Th e m i s tak e n a mb itio n fo r owni ng twi c e !ofte n
te n t im e s! m u ch lan d a s c a n th oroughl y
n
as o e
m anur e p rofi tab ly cu l tiva te i s th e grea t i l
or agr c u
,
S
tu ral s in f th i s c o un try ! ay s th e au th or In
o
, .
Cali fornia wh e re thi s i s be i g wr i tte n thi s m i s take n
n
,
B ie
68 d d
orn 1 0 1 740
, .
3
2 8 ii f§ b
r
I NTR O U CT I O N
D
4
.
T
a mbi ti on p re vail s t an alarm ing e xte n t of te n
o oo
. ,
farme rs h ave b e c om e s oil robb e rs Thi s s ta te
ap
.
pe ars to e xce l all oth e rs i n i ts h a s te t fil h from th e
o c
l and e very valuabl e ti mb e r tre e e ve ry p ou n d f i
n
o
,
troge n e very ve s tige f h u mu s th at ca n be e xtra c t d
o e
,
t a pr e s en t profi t h o we ve r s m ll wi th app are ntl y n o
a a
,
th ou gh t of th e fu tu re p rod u c tivity f th e l an d th e
o
,
fu tu re wel fare f th e fa rm e r th e p e r man e nt pro s
o or
,
e rity f th e c o mmu nity
D o
.
I have m ad e a ca refu l s tu dy f th e c ondi tion s f
o o
gri c ul tu re i n th e S an ta Cla ra S an Jo s e an d S a c ra
a
,
m e n to Vall ey s an d I a m i rre sis ti bly l e d t th e c on
o
,
l i that th e gre a t ra nche s mu s t b e b rok e n u p
c u s on
i
to s mal l h ol d ings be fore p e rman en t p ros pe ri ty ca n
n
om e t th e far m e r s of th e Pa c ifi c C oa st O n a
c o re
.
e nt vi s i t to a ranc h f s e ve ral th ou san d a c re s
c o
,
wh e re th in gs appe are d p ro sp e rou s an d th e c a ttl e
l oke d well bre d an d wel l f d I c oul d n ot re frai n
o e
,
fro m a sk ing th e i mpol i te qu e s ti on “ D oe s i t pay !!
,
Th e reply wa s W e h av e b e e n h e r e te n y e ar s
:
ha ve pu t i n d oll ars gotte n u p a t two in th e m orn
,
i t ge t th m ilk d e live ry w agon s ta r te d i n ti m e
n
g o e
,
h ave fou r h u nd re d h e ad o f ca ttl e an d th ir ty h ors e s
,
d i f I sh oul d sel l t t d ay I w ou l d n ot h a ve a
an ou o
-
,
l o llar c l ear profi t !
.
A fe w d ay s af te r I c all e d on m y c ol lege g rad u ate
,
f rie nd H e ha s j u s t te n a c re s al l i n fr ui t— p ea ch e s
. ,
ap ric o ts an d p rune s — al l o f whi ch h e wil l d ry a s
,
tran sp or ta ti on i s u n c er ta in and e xp en sive and th e
a s te r n m ark e t for u nd rie d frui t pre c ariou s Aga in
e
.
i a sk e d D oe s i t p ay !! He re pl ie d We ll we
:
, ,
I NT RO U CT I O N
D
5
.
ha ve th re e ch il dr e n m y wi fe an d I h a ve worke d
,
h ar d e x c ep t i n th e s ix w eek s har ve sting ti me we
,
have a c o mfor ta bl e living s om e sp ar e tim e and
n
o
, ,
f
an ave rag e s e c u re a p rofi t ab ou t th re e h un d re d a
o
y ea r afte r all o win g a mo d e s t in te re s t th e i nve s t
n
o
m e nt Th e o rch ar d is n ot y e t i n ful l b e a ring and
.
w sh ou l d d o s om e wh a t be tte r i n th e fu tu re an d
e
vas tly b e tte r wh e n th e we l l i s b ore d a nd a pu m p
pr ovi de d for i rri gating o n c e t wi c e y e arl y ! I n
or
.
thi s l ocal ity lan d s u i tabl e f fru it i s h el d a t
or one
,
h u nd re d an d fifty t two h un d re d d ol lar s p e r a cre
o
.
W h e re th e plan te d orch ar d ha s be e n i b e ar in g for
n
t w th re e y e ars th at i p r od u ce s t w th ird s f
o or s o o
-
, ,
a c rop it s ell s a t e igh t t nin e h u n dr e d d olla rs p e r
o
,
a c re I f wel l an d pu mp a r e ad de d th e valu e i s i
n
. ,
c re a s e d t th ou san d e l e ve n h u n dr e d d ol lars
n
o o e or
pe r ac re
.
Th e s e tw o c a s e s a r e typ ic al n ot e xc ep tional
, .
Afte r b ec om ing a c qu a in te d with the i nne r l i fe of th e
—
o wne rs Of th e s e h ol d ing s f th e r e ar e re ally only
or
tw k in d s s mal l frui t an d ege tab l e h old ings and
o v
, ,
—
la rge ca ttl e she ep g rai n an d h ay ran ch e s d oe s
n
o e
, ,
n o t h e si ta te t ch o o s e b e twe e n the m
o
.
I t al l a m ou nts t o th i s No sh ou l d c on trol
n
o e
m ore arabl e land th a n h e c an m aintai n i n a h igh
s ta te O f p rod u c tiv ity th e fou r gre a t fa c to rs of wh i ch
,
are good s e e d s u i tab l e m oi s tu re abu nd an t avai lab le
, , ,
plant food a n d rati o al till age I n a l arge m aj ori ty
n
, .
f ca s e s wh e re fa il u re p ar tial failu re of an ab u n
o or
,
dant c rop i s ob s e rve d th e m e agre r e su lts are d u e t
o
a p artial l ack of o f th es e fu nda me nt l s Th e
n
o e a
.
I NTRO U CTI O N
6 D
.
vi ci s si tu de s of we ath e r h ave l i ttl e e ff e c t if varie ti e s
,
a nd sp e cie s of p la nt s a dap te d to th e lo ca lity are
s el e c te d if th e pl ants a r e ne ith e r h ungry n or th irs ty
, ,
a nd if the y a re c om for tab ly gro unde d i n l d M oth e r
O
E arth
.
y
Th e n th e j f s e e ing happy pl ants an d anim al s
o o
gro w s tr ong d p rodu c e s o m e fifty som e an hu n
n
a
,
d re d f l d I — “ T we re w orth t y ear s of ci ty l ife
n
o e
,
l o ok a t the ir array !!
n
o e
Agai n an d agai n th e au th o r f “ Te n Ac re s
o
E n ugh ! re c ou n s th e h app ine s s of Ob se rving Na
t
o
tu re ’ s m de s of a ction a t fi rs t h an d th e pl e a su r e f
o o
,
d is c ove ring now w an oth e r s e c re t f s oil
n n
o e o o or
,
pl an t H ow h e r e vel s i n plain fo od an d p ea c e fu l
.
slu mb e r afte r a day f i ntellige n t e ffor t i n G o d’s
o
fi rs t T e mpl e u n de r th e p e n k ! He c on su l te d
o s y
wi th h i s neigh b or s Often S o m et im e s h e w ent by
.
the fiel d f th e sl o th fu l an d by th e vin eyar d f th e
o o
m a n vo id f u nde rs tand ing and 1 !h e “ s aw i t
o 0
, ,
wa s al l ove rg ro wn with th orn s an d ne ttle s h a d
,
c ve re d th e fa c e th e re of an d th e stone wal l th e re of
o
wa s b rok e n d own ! Th e n h e sa w and c ons ide re d
.
i t wel l and l ooke d u pon i t an d re c e ive d ins tru c tion
.
I t d id no t tak e l ng f h i m t di s c ove r th at sl oth
o or o
ful ne s s a n d ign oran c e we re th e c au s e O f th e u ntidy
c ondition an d m e ag re re sul s of th e s e pl anta ti on s
t
whic h we re dupl ic a te s f th e on e d e s c ribe d by S ol o
o
m on S h e pil e d hi s tabl e h igh wi th th e be s t a gri
o
.
c ul tu ral l ite ratu re an d spe nt hi e ve ning s at h om e
s
re a ding it F y e ar s h e d h i s wife an d daugh te r
or an
.
we r e c l o s e s tu d ents Whe n i t c u l d no l onge r be
o
.
I NTR O U CTI O N
D 7
.
s ai d th a t the y we re ignorant the y all pu t pl ai
n n
o
;
—
c lothe s and work e d w ork e d a s only a n i nte llige nt
s e rvan t w ork s for a k i nd m a ste r— an d th e M as te r
gave am pl e r e war d wh e n the h arv e s t t im e ca m e
.
Re a d e r go a n d d o l ik e w i s e !
,
I S AA C PHI L LI P S R O B ER T S
.
Em rit P f f A g i l t L t D
n
e u s r o e ssor o r c u u re a e e a
,
f C l l g Ag l
d D i t th f i t f
a n re c or O e o e e o r c u u re o
,
C l l U y A h F
i it t f Th m
orne n v e rs ; u or o e a r
t d ! “ Th F m ’ B i H db k !
s e a e ar er s us ness an oo
, ,
t
e c
.

C
P REF A E
.
T wh
ma n fe e d s h i s c attle a th ou sa n d h il l s
H E o on
may p os s ibl y se e th e titl e f th i s l ittle vol u m e
o pa
d d th rough th e n e ws p ape r s bu t th e ch an c e s are
ra e
that h e will n e ve r th in k i t worth wh il e t look in to
o
the vol u m e i ts e l f Th e o wne r f a h un d r e d a c re s
o
.
wi ll s car c el y s te p t f h i s w t p u r ch a s e t
ou o ay o or o
bo rro w it wh il e th e l ord f e ve r y s m alle r fa r m w il l
o
,
b e su re i t i s t i nte nde d for h i m Fe w p e r son s b
n
o e
.
l onging t th e s e se ve ra l cla s se s h ave be e n e du c ate d
o
m
t b li eve T e n A c re s E nou gh B o rn t gre ate r
o e o a
.
b itio th e y h ave ai m e d h igh e r a n d g ra s p e d a t m ore
u
, ,
s om e tim e s wi s ely s o me ti m e s t M a ny f th e s e
n
o o
, .
ar e n o w o w i ng c l tivating m or e lan d than th e i r
n
or u
he ad s pu rse s e nabl e th e m to m anag e p r ope rl y
or
.
Ha d th e i r am b i tio n be e n m o d e ra te a n d th e i r i de a s
,
m or e p ra c tic al th e i r lab or woul d b e be tte r re war de d
, ,
an d th i s b ook w ith ou t d oub t wou l d h ave fou nd m or e
, ,
reade rs
.
Th e m i stak e n a mb i ti o n fo r o w ing twi c e mu ch
n
a s
land a s ca n th rou ghl y manu re p rofi ta bl y
one o or
cu l tiva te i s th e gr e at agri c ul tu ra l i f th i s c ou ntry
n
s o
.
,
T h os e wh c om mit it by b eginning wrong t f
o oo re
, ,
9