Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1859-01-14
How Farmers Lose Money.

CARA county, N. Y, writes as follows 10
the Geaessee Farmer:
Looking only on the favorable side oi
any business, fits US poorly to engage IN
it understandingly. The brightest pros
pect is liable to become clouded-the most
hopeful scheme may end in disapPoint-
ment.
If We look at the crops which 'don't
pay among US, ten chances to one that
the "root of the matter lies In Water
.Stagnan, in the Soa-which, In many
ways, is prejudicial to the growth OF crops
In fact, a soil which has no escape or out
let for the water which falls upon 1t, save
by evaporation, can not be made to pro-
duce paying crop. In dry season, 1t Is
baked and hard in wet one, is Is Hood
ed By every slight rain, and is never III
condition very favorable to the growth OF
cultivated crops. When the crop Is sown,
it is at the mercy of the weather drouth
is, if possible, more destructive than
food and, between the two, farmers lose
money enough every three years, by stag
nant water, to apply the thorough remedy
of draining.
Farmers lose money By short sighted
and Mistaken Ideas Of Economy, for true
economy does not consist in mere stin'ing
and saviDg-it requires far-reaching views
and generous spirit, to decide practical
questions upon that just basis which Sc
cures the greatest measure of success. We
must look further than the first cost. In
farm stock, for instance, when once secur-
ed, it costs little more to raise, to any
given age, good animal than bad one,
while one may be far more remunerative
than the other. The good cost more at
first, but are sure to prove valuable and
find ready purchasers, while the cheap are
almost certain to be poor and dull Of sale.
This is true not only Of animals, but of all
farm crops-the best varieties Of grain
and fruits are sought and raised by truly
economical cultivators of the soil.
Nsmanagemcnt Of -NInure.-The con-
tents of the barn-yards are generally dig
nifcd with the name Of manure, even If
they consist of little more than rotten
straw and animal excrement, the real
strength of which has leached away during
its long exposure to the weather. "a
dry yard" is the dcsideratum, with many;
CO Ill a. j-:~.. I.-:.,j away Into some
stream, or down the roadside ditch Onto
some provident neighbor's field it is to be
hoped)-what is left is still "manure,"
and it is carted out for crops with expec-
tation that they will be largely benefited
thereby One thought will show how idle
is this idea. BY what does manure act
benefciaily upon vegetable growth By
its soluble constituents-they absorb on y
liquids and gases as food. This leached
manure has lost the greatest share Of, sOlu-
bic fertiizing matter, the residue is little
more than a mechanical means of improv-
Ing the soil.
Ploujag too many Acres.-Ecry few
farmers but can look back to the time
when they "misscd it" materially, in piow-
ing for and putting in crop imperfectly,
unseasonably, or more of one than they
could properly cultivate or care for. The
product did not begin to pay the expenses
incurred, and the plow might far better
have remained at rest. We must plow
only half as much, and do it twice as well /
then we shall find our barns better fill /
ed, our farms better stocked, and our
fields increasing in fertility.
Shelter Jor ,StocA;.-Not only do horses
need stables and care, but cows, sheppard
calves will do much better, give more
milk, wool, and growth, on the same or
less amount amount OF food, than when no
provision is made for their protection. The !
cost Of shelter is far less than the cost of
doing without, to say nothing of the con-
venience and compassion of cover; so don't
let US fear liberal expenditure for good
barns, sheds, and stables: with sheltered
yards, and convenient watering places,
though We may have long followed the
make-do system Of getting along without
them.