The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-12-10
WHEAT GROWING.

Minnesota is one vast wheat field,
dotted over with here and there patch
of oats, corn, barley and potatoes. The
Alph. and Omega, as we'll as the mid
die, of Minnesota farming is wheat,
wheat, wheat. We have frequently in
our columns urged tho profit and pro-
pricty Of q greater variety in our farm
productions, aud the low rice Of wheat
this fall is powerful proof and Illus
tration of the correctness Of our suegSes-
tons.
There il no farm commodity so uni
formly subject to the mutations Of spec
ulation and trade as wheat; hence, the
only safety Of any farming community
against the possibilities of loss from q
great decline in the price Of this cereal
is not to have tho whole agricultural
interest Invested in it. Il variety of
farm products is what is needed in Min
nesota :; aad this not only for the good
Of the soil, but is the only system which
promises financial success. If ons-half
Of the capital and effort now invested
in tho raising Of wheat in Olmstcad
c>unty were employed::in the growth Of
stock, including sheep, swine and poul-
try, the raising Of barley, Germ, oats,
and huckwheat; the manufacture of
butter and cheese, the financial depres.
sion now experienced by US would, IN a
good degree, have been averted. Hors-
cs and neat stock, together with every
farm product, excepting wheat, are
bearing good price. Never in tho
history of Minnesota has the mistake
of investing so much Of labor and capt.
tai in the raising Of wheat been so sig
nally and disastrous]y demonstrated as
the present.
We do not advise change embrace
ing, to very large extent, the cultiva-
ton OF hops, the more tender or costly
varieties of fruit, OF any other untried
or uncertain product, but we do ear
Mostly advocate the adoption Of such
commodities as have been successfully
tested, and to the propagation Of which
our soil and climate arc happily adapt
cd.
1t is unnecessary for US to say that
tho raising Of wheat on large scale
involves vast amount of hard work
and the outlay of much capital. Be-
sides compelling farmers to work like
slaves. many become deeply involved
in the purchase Of the requisite ma
chincry to carry on the wheat growing
business. \ failure Of the crop, or a
marked decline in price, especially it
repeated Tor two Or three seasons, proves
disastrous to many who have not abund-
ant means outside Of the wheat enter
prise.
We throv out these general hints
with the hope that our farmers will dis
cuss this subject earnestly and at length.
Agriculture is, and must be for long
years, the leading business interest
in Minnesota. To adopt the most
economical and successful system Of
farming is Of the highest pecuniary i'm
portancc. The loose, scrambling habit
Of too many Minnesota farmers is ad-
verse to profit and success, and should
be corrected.
A neat, tidy, saving mode of doing
farm work involves less outlay Of bone
and mnscle, aud is decidedly moro prof
liable. Farming is a science as GER
tainly as any of the so called learned
professions. The time for spurnine
and deriding what is called book
farming has gone BY. Farmers will
take agricultural papers and books and
will read them. Intelligence and labor
will be cooperative, and the advan-
tages resulting from the combination
cannot we'll be estimated. A farmers
club in Olmsted county could be made
the means of great good and advantage
to our agricultural interests. A mu-
tual interchange of opinions and ex-
periences in farming, free and friend
ly discussion Of methods, plans, and
experiments would do much towards a
diffusion Of correct and valuable inior-
nation, and awaken a zeal and interest
in agriculture which would tell largely
for the wealth and prosperity Of the
county.-Rochester Post.