Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-12-14
farm, Garafn & golraebold.
WALKS AND TALKS ON THE FARM

we need Ialtn enough III Soou agriculture 10
use what we have, in improving our farms.
Had the millions of dollars which have been
sunk in oil wells, been investedin underdrain
ing and other improvements, how much bet
ter it would have been for the country! Those
who complain so loudly Of high prices of farm
produce, should know that the absorption of
capital for speculation is one cause of the
present scarcity of the neeessaries of life.
The farmer needs capital to carry on his busi-
ness as much as the merchant But as things
now are, it is rare that he geas any aecommo.
dation from the Banks. The necessity of
capital among farmers is seen in the fact that
at auction sales, where nine months or q
year S credit is given, prices go far higher
than at cash sales. There are few farmers
who have anything like the amount of capital
that they could use to advantage. We invest
cur money in buying the land and have not
enough left to farm it properly. One reason
of the high position occupied by English and
Scotch farmers is, that their means are not
locked up in the land. This is owned by the
large landlords, while the farmer has all his
capital free for active employment. Had he
money enough to own the land and farm it
too, he would probably feel that he was rich
enough "to live without work. and the farm
would soon run down. Of course / DO not
advocate this system Of renting farms. 1t is
far betterto own them but it involves the neces-
sity of obtaining moro capital for active use.
A A., Al Ill I
probably borrow, directly OF indirectly, TWEEN
ty thousand in addition to carry on his bust
ness. He gives notes at four or six months
to these who sell him goods, and takes notes
from those to whom he sells and gets them
discounted at the bank. And in this way an
enterprising merchant sometimes borrows
three CT four times as much money as his
original capital. This is all very well. The
business Of the country could not be carried
on without credit. But how is it with farm
ing? A farmer worth $4,000, which he is
not risking in business, seldom uses his credit
at all. He is ''good, but the banks viii not
accommodate him, because he requires the
money for nine months or gear, and the
banks can make more money on shorter pa
per. This is the real difficulty in the case.
The farmer can seldom turn his money to
advantage in shorter time. and he is not
safe IN giving three months paper, which
must either be renewed when it comes due.
or he must sacrifice something to meet it.
There is probably no remedy for this state of
things, except in a superabundance of capital
seeking investment at a low rate of interest,
conjoined at the same time with better
knowledge on the part of bank managers
with the business and wants of farmers, and
confidence enough on the part of farmers
themselves to employ money in better sys-
TEN of agriculture.
But farmers are producers, and should
not be under the necessity of borrowing mon
ey to carry on their business, like those enga-
ged in buying and selling" This is true in
one sense. But farmers are traders as well
as producers. If raise litter of pigs, and
at weaving time sell them for $500 a piece
or if raise crop Of corn and sell ii for 81. .OC
bushel, am SO far producer. l have
produced these articles and sold them and 20
the money. But # instead Of selling them
| feed out the corn to the pigs, and keep then
six months, and then sell them, am in on,
sense trader or manufacturer. The pig
and the corn are the raw material out 0
which / manufacture pork and manure. 1t j
for this that / am warranted, on the ordinar
principles Of business, to borrow money iron
the bank. IF sell the pigs and the corn to
distiller instead Of fattening them on the farm
he borrows money from the bank, and n
questions are asked. Look at the thousand
of habitat cattle that are sold in our larg
markets every week. Would it not pay til
farmer to get them in s'ripe" condition be
fore he parts with them? Frequently he ha
the food to do it, but either lacksconfdence t
feed it out, or else is pressed for money, an
not being able to borrow, must sacrifice h
eattle-to his own loss and the loss of th
community. He loses half the benefit of a
his feeding, for in fattening cattle the las
month gives the profit
One of my neighbors has sold his farm fc
800 an acre. On asking him how he can
to sell, he replied, 81 am going West, and il
tend to buy small farm that | can woI
alone. am tired Of paying hired help TIC
thirds Of all can raise.
told him lshouldbequite contented to do
provided could make enough. Thirty -tbr'
per cent. proftwould do very well. A fFiel
Of mine who livesin the cityand rents out
e. a 4.
satisfied if the man would only steal o
quarter more than his share !; but he ste,
tsewhOIe Shall we ever be able in Il
country to carry on farming in the same v
AsaAketheE hRainess IS conducted-T do |