Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-07-14
Farmers Column.
Grnin.Fnrminr and Stoek.Farming.

Grain-Farming and Stock-Farming'
The sound thinking In the follow
ing extract from the Io,0d Times we
commend to grain-farmers generally,
and especially to such as live west of
the Mississippi river:
"There is no question at the present
time of more vital Importance to
every farmer than the one we have
chosen in this article to present few
thoughts upon. 1t is a plain fact
that selling grain the past two years
has been Improbable, and in many
cases proved disasterous to many
Western farmers. This necessitates
a change, i'm the disposition of the
products of the farm, or we will con-
tinue to have great many uDsuc-
cessful farmers among us. To be
sure, times may change, and selling
grain may be profitable again, but it
will only be exceptional years; and,
taking one season with another, put
ting grain into stock will be much
more profitable to the Western farm
ers' Let our Eastern farmers, who
have not so much freight to pay, sup
ply the grain market. BY the time
our grain reaches the seaboard, the
cost of transportation deducted from
the selling price leaves but little for
US. Grain put into stock can be
handled at one-fourth the COST
Stock raisers the past few years have
realized from so to 100 per cent more
for the grain than they could in the
bushel. We know many feeders who
claim that their corn has averaged
more them 81 per bushel the past
seven years, while during the same
time it has not averaged more than
40 cents per bushel on the farm. If
this has not paid, there is no branch
of American agricultural industry
that will remunerate the farmer for
his labor. In all branches of indus
try it is the profit we want. If it
cost 80 cents per bushel TO raise corn,
and it sells at 40 cents, the profit is
but 10 cents; if the corn is put into
stock, and yields but so cents per
bushel, there will be 20 cents profit or
double what it is in selling the corn.
To bring agriculture pto that stand
ard of success we all attain to, there
must be good round profit, and We
should resort to every means consis-
tent with our vocation to secure this
profit, and make agriculture, as it al.
ways should be, power in the land;
for wherever it is successful it is soon
followed by other branches of indus
try equally successful.
at must be admitted that many
engage in stock raising and do not
make it more profitable than selling
grain. This is not the fault of the
business so much as it is mismanage-
ment on the part of the farmer, re-
sulting from inexperience, careless.
ness, or indifference. Too many en-
gage in the business thinking that
stock raising consists in keeping
stock in small pens or yards, with
little or no shelter, and throwing
them grain in the mud. Others are
so penny wise and pound foolish that
they will not eXpend few dollars to
procure good breeds of stock. There
is as much in the management and
feed as there is in the breed, and both
are Of such vital Importance that
they should receive careful attention.
SIN new country like most of
Iowa, it is no easy matter to engage
in the business, as most of the farm
ers are poor, which necessitates the
selling of every bushel of grain in
order to pay pressing debts, and
necessary improvements, or procure
the necessaries of life. Yet q new
country is the place to make stock
raising profitable, as there is abund-
ance of cheap pasturage, and grain
for fattening purposes can be grown
cheap. Iowa is destined to come up
to, if not surpass all other States
in the business. 1t behooves
every farmer for his own interest
and the general welfare of the
State te engage in what will
bring the greatest general prosperity
and the way is now open to ease and
remove the heavy debts that are OPP.
pressing very many of our farmers,
and place them on the road to pros
perity and af1luence. Let every |
farmer begin according to his means,
or even make some sacrifice to get a |
start. 1t does not require much cap.
ital to raise hogs, which are poor
mans stock. Where one has the |
means. both cattle and hogs should |
be raised to secure the most and larg-
est profits.
lone of the strongest incentives to
stock raising is, every thing is con-
consumed on the farm, and returned
to the soil in valuable manures,
keeping it i'm its original fertility. a
necessity every farmer should look
we'll to. Though our fertile soil is
rich in all the elements for plant
food it will wear out some day, i'll
everything is taken from and noth-
ing returned to it,