Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-03-22
farmers department.
Why Does net Farming Pay?

1t is common remark that farming docS
not pay" that " TO money is made by farming,
and some say that all farmer can do is to
live j. e., by hard work and rigid economy,
he can manage 10 stay" Now it does appear
strange that a business 50 extensively practis-
ed as farming-so essential 10 human progress
and improvement-a business that employs
nearly scven-eghthS Of all the capital invested
in stocks, should not pay 1t is evident to
every rejecting mind that if farming does not
pay it is because those engaged in it are not
as we'll educated and fitted for their vocation
as are mechanics artisans and commercial men.
One prominent reason why farming does not
nav is that many of tloSe who engage in it
have no special preparation for it. In all
other vocatons, whether mechanical, CONNER.
cial. educational, railroading, keeping books.
or whatever else it may he, special prcpara-
tion is considered not only MS being necessary,
but indispensable. Yet any one who is unfit
for anything else, aye and everything else, will
do for farmer. Here is one cause why farm
ing does not pay. Another is found in tradi-
tional farming. Too many farmers do as their
predecessors did, without duly considering
whether there be better way. Such do not
know the advantages of the rotation Of crops
Another reason why farming does not pay
is that those who engage in it seem to think
that % bushels of corn, 10 bushels of rye, 20
bushels of oats, $50 bushels of potatoes, one
ton of hay, &c, per acre, is a fair yield. 1t is
readily granted that such farming will not pay
so long as n skillful farming will produce 100
bushels of corn, 80 bushels of rye, 80 bushels
Of oats, 500 bushels potatoes, 8 tons of hay,
&C., per acre. These latter are no fancifu
estimates, for more has actually been produc-
ed per acre by farmers in the Eastern States,
even of each of these several products
These facts show the Importance Of good
tage, and who does not know that such udl
pay? If any doubt, let them try it before
they query whether farming will pay, and af-
ter trying it they will no longer heard saying
that they can only manage to stay on the
!" old Homestead" Good, skillful, eConomi-
cal farming will pay; it has always paid land
there is no doubt that it always will pay
StingintSs, however, is not economy as too ma
ny seem to believe.
Many farmers pride themselves on getting
along with very little help, with the purchas-
ing of little or no manure, and call this good
management, t,-mismanagement it should be
caIled-whereas it should be the purpose of
every farmer to see how much labor can be
prOntaDiy enlpiOIeu, WnaC amount OF special
fertilizers can be so used as to return a diri-
dend on the money thus invested Farming
when thus conducted does pay, and will al
ways pay.
In order to make farming profitable a spe-
cial education is as necessary as for any other
business. Not that every farmer should be a
good chemist, or skilled in any or all of the
sciences. This is as impossible as it should be
deemed impracteable and unnecessary. Know
ledge and skill in husbandry are best acquired
on the farm, as developed by experience, by
the experience of oar best farmers Much
may also be acquired by careful observation
and conversation with such as arc engaged in
making successful experiments, such as are ad-
Vancing the art Of productive tillage.
When you hear husbandman saying that
farming does nat pay" you should general
ly regard it as being equivalent to confes-
sion Of the want of skill or of industry in his
chosen ayocation. Labor and capital, when
rightly used, will pay in agriculture as in the
other Industrial arts Forget not that special
preparation and skill are as essential in this
as in every other business. Away with the
absurd notion that man that is good for moth
ing else will do for a farmer Then shall we
have more successful farmers and hear less
about Improbable farming.-Cor. Nass
P2oHMGu.