The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-12-01
A gr u1tur al.
Thorough Farming.


while others fail with every advantage at theil
command. There is reason for this, though not
always apparent. Twenty men may assign
twenty different causes, but one general rule il
applicable to all cases. System and thorough
ness OF execution always ensures success, anG
uice versa. The system adopted is not of more
consequence than the completeness in which il
Is executed, but the more perfect the system the
greater degree of advancement as an enlightened
agrieulturist. - - 4-s. ~
A farmer should limit his operations to cor
respond with his knowledge and his means. II
is foolish to base his entire chance of success on
an untried experiment, and no less SO to try and
do larger business than means will permit
We got into conversation with practical
farmer short time since, and his management
seemed so perfect, and easy to be adopted, that
We will choose his language near as we can to
illustrate our subject. a "H - ~
He owns snug little farm of forty acres, and
has, for the past few years, been making money.
Ii makes it a point to keep as much stock as he
can take good care of. He keeps ten cows and
has them fat the year round. Their increase he
sells to the butcher as soon as they are fit except
two or three heifer calves, which he raises, and
sells as many COWS, thus keeping his number good.
He generally has one or two breeding sows; has
their pigs come in February, and another litter
in the Summer. The February pigs are kept
fat and butchered the following November or
December, at which time he emakes them average
two hundred pounds piece. The Summer lit
ter are sold in the Fall. He keeps flock of ff-
ty sheep, all ewes, and of the long wooled varie-
ties; has the lambs dropped in February and
March The sheep and lambs are kept constant
ly fat. All lambs but nine or ten are sold to
the butchers as early lambs, and being early and
prime, always command an extra price. The
nine or ten lambs are kept as an offset to as many
culls from the old sheep, which are sold to the
butcher, thus keeping his number good He
keeps good assortment of poultry and makes
them pay. .-a --. ..--- Il
His grain fields are al, small and no crop is
sown or planted until the ground is first thorough
ly prepared, and strangely enough as some of his
less thriving neighbors assert he is sure to have
good crop no matter what the season.
There are various other little matters connec-
ted with his management, which contribute to
his success, but the secret of it all is:-he un-
dertakes nothing but what he can accomplish,
and when once undertaken he accomplshes it
thoroughly. ts ...-. sts...-: -
AS contrast, we will give little of the man.
asgement of another person who owns farm of
the same size, with better natural advantages.
Some years ago this thriftless farmer sowed a
field to wheat. 1t was put in slovenly man.
ner, and much too late in the season. When
the ground thawed out in the Spring, there was
a poor show for crop of wheat. He therefore
thought it advisable to plow the field again and
SOW it to oats. They were however put in poor
ly and too late in the season again. The oats
promised very poorly, SO at the proper season he
narrowed the field over and sowed it to buck
wheat. The buckwheat was scarcely worth cut
ting, and to get what little there was the hogs
were turned in; the hogs got the itch and half
died Thus at the end of twelve months, result
ed the wheat crop. have not drawn heavily
upon the imagination for those two pictures.
The men both live within three hours ride, and
the latter is possessed Of the most general inteli-
gence of the two Quick and sure returns are
the reward of we'll executed system, while
slow and uncertain profits are the result of neg
ligence and a want of proper plans Hestern
RardI .. .-s '...