Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-04-30
Weighing on the Farm.

Mr. Fitch lately read a paper on this sub
ject before the american Institute Farm
ers Club, in (which he said many things
that we fully endorse, for instance the fol-
lowing: .s-4f ..-.
In farming operations there is much I'M
certainty which the sharpest foresight can
not prevent, and which it can only partial
" modify. The weather for an approach
ing season is always an unsOlved problem ;;
the mysterious appearance of insects which
may eat out the profits of q years labor
can rarely be forcstalled; TO correctly fore
tell the changes in the market requires al
most prophetic power, and 80 ofmany points
which contain elements of the highest
importance in laying out plans and calcu-
lating chances for success. This acknowl-
edged truth makes tall the more requisite
to thrifty farming that all ascertainable
facts relating TO its various departments be
known and taken into account The most
inveterate guesscr can find scope
enough for his talent on the weather
alone, without, depending upon guessing
for ascertaining the size of his fields, their
rate of produce, the amount sold or the
profit of the transactions. Weights and
measures, pens, ink and paper, are as in
dispensable to success in farming, as are
plows, hoes, mowers and reapers. They
are emphatically tools for the use of the
brains the others pertain more to the mus
cular department. To Illustrate by a few
examples: One dairyman sguesses his CONS
are doing pretty we'll; the flow of milk is
good and the amount of butter is a fair
average as shown by the returns received
from the buyer The producer has not
himself measured the gallons of milk, nor
weighed the amount of butter. He may
make money-may do without any system.
Another dairyman, by few days testing
with the gallon measure and scales, knows
the exact amount of milk and butter pro
duced by each COW; then he decides which
animal TO keep and which to sell-perhaps
to his neighbor who never bothers with
weighing and measuring He can also tell
to an ounce how much butter shrinks in
passing through the hands of a com
mission merchant, if such thing be pos
sible s'e' 'l-.i t..set PES f5 fea go
Another case; Farmer No. 1, feeds his
cattle until he thinks they are fat enough
to turn off, sells them to the butcher at their
estimated dressed weight, and pockets the
proceeds. How much Of the amount IS
profit he cannot tell !; he did not measure
the tctt nOf very t1ic dnfuitf - -.- -
Farmer, No. feeds out grain by measure
and charges it to the bullock at intervals
of aweek or so he rigs his platform scales
so that the animal can stand upon it, notes
how much beef it. shows for the grain
eaten, and, when the feeding does not pay
tsells to- the butcher. or .droyer.. In doing
this he is not afraid OF Che buyer's practical
| eye, which can almost fix the notch at
which bullock viii turn the scale. ss &C.
Now, a saOolbey can give . good guess
at how thesestw6 producers viii stand in
few years. Other things being equal, one
win be sTeto makehis way inmoreenPeg
than one the Other may comd oufI 4
he be lucky and work hard ehoo(h Nth
his hands TO make up for his d. gage
in working uncertainly ss.'S
Illustrations NIGH be multi y shoE
theyslue of a good weighing apparatus as
pant of the farpier's OUTFIT = In eSper ime4t-
| ing With inherent systems Of feeding; IN
ascertaining the weight Of grain per bush.
ell; in knowing how many pounds tun OF
c -<l1c