couple iv horses to commune with. An' so he goes an' he's happy th'
livelong day if ye don't get in ear-shot iv him. In winter he is
employed keeping th' cattle fr'm sufferin' his own fate an' writin'
testymonyals iv dyspepsia cures." ("Mr. Dooley Says.")

CHAPTER VI

WHAT AN ACRE MAY PRODUCE

We have shown what an acre has produced. You must figure out for
yourself what you can make your acres produce and what the product
can be sold for.

All progress in agriculture has come heretofore through experiments,
made mostly by uninformed and untrained men. What may not be done by
practical learning and applied intelligence?

The wonderful recent advances have been made in just that way.

"The modern improved methods in agriculture, known collectively as
intensive farming, have nearly all had their origin in the hands of
truck farmers and market gardeners. No class of the rural population
is more alert in utilizing the newest researches and discoveries in
all lines of agricultural science, and none keeps in closer touch
with the agricultural colleges and experiment stations."
("Development of the Trucking Interests," by F. S. Earle.)

Still, it is not advisable for the ordinary city dweller, however
intelligent, without other means and without either experience or
study, to cast himself upon a small patch of ground for a living;
but if he can give it most of his time mornings and evenings, or if
he sees, as many do, that he will be forced out of a position, it
would be well for him seriously to consider intensive cultivation as
a resource.

It would be the greatest blessing to our day laborers if they could
secure an acre of land which they could till in conjunction with
their other labor. If time and change 90 works upon society as to
put the laborer out of a job, he will be safe in his acre home and
can live from it and be happy and contented.

The time required to cultivate an acre is much less than is
generally supposed.

The maximum time required seems to be that given in the University
of Illinois Experiment Station at Urbana, Bulletin 61, by J. W.
Lloyd, at the rate of 140 hours (say 14 days) with one horse and 250
hours (say 25 days) for hand labor. With a great variety of crops,
or with poor labor add one half to this time allowance. The results
vary greatly.

An acre of northeastern Long Island will produce 250 to 400 bushels
of potatoes at a selling price of fifty to seventy five cents per