Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1873-05-22
FAYETTEVILLE, TENNESSEE +:
Farm Profits as Affected
by Risks.

are sure and for which there is
"a steady and sure market, in
which case the profits, as a rule,
ure moderate, are, in the long
run, more successful than the
class whose main hope rests up
on extravagant profits (Which
Are sometimes realized) from pro-
ducts especially liable to failure
of crop, or great auctuation in
price. To find the path to
steady and sure gains from mar
products-gains which make
one a little "betterohf" each year
than he was the preceding
years. to find the proper mean
between the extremes Of great
profits and great risks. The
principal sources of risk which
claim consideration in determin-
ing the question, what on the
whole will be most profitable
ior series of years to raise for
market? are special liabilities
to failure Of crop, to fluctuations
in price, to losses from disease,
decay, or shrinkage, and, with
respect to sheep-huSbandry, to
destruction by dogs. In some
localities the liability to some
one or more Of these risks is SO
great as to make it unwise, for
this reason alone, to engage in
raising farm products which, in
other localities less exposed to
the same risks, are most remun-
erative. For example, in two
localities wheat may bring the
same price in market and in some
seasons yield equally well but
in one it is sure and in the 9th.
er a very uncertain crop. With
respect to some productions, the
variations in market price from
year to year are SO small that
when the cost of production is
known the rate of profit can be
estimated beforehand with good
degree OF certainty; in respect to
some others, the price is so fuc-
tuating that estimating profit be-
forehand resembles estimating
gain from buying lottery ticket.
Says a correspondent: "The pro-
duction of wool is profitable at
present, but the price fuctuates
80 much that perhaps by the time
the farmer gets we'll stocked with
sheep it will be too low to be a
paying business" Generally
speaking, the judicious sheep
raiserNEiIl guard against the risk
here referred to in two ways: first,
by avoiding the extreme to which
the huctuation is owing in part
that Of letting sheep,husbandry
when wool is high, eat out all
other productions, instead OF rely
log in part upon products less va.
riable 10 price; and, second, by
raising sheep with reference to
profit from lambs and mutton as
well as wool. This branch of ag-
ricuItural industry, recurring but
little labor and no skill, and great
Iy enrlching the land, perhaps as
profitable as the other, but the ex
posure to loss by dogs is so great
that we shall give our correspon-
dents considerable space for reit-
Grating their often uttered com.
plants:
Luze1ne, PG.-In consequence
Of the large number of dogs our
farmers are fast abandoning the
raising Of sheep.
Clinton, PA few farmers
raise wool, but on account of the
poor quality of the sheep and the
ravages Of dogs, it is losing bu-
sineSs.
Henry, Ia. Wool growing
would be profitable if sheep could
be protected from dogs.
Prince TV5LLjdm, Vd.-Wool
and mutton perhaps the best for
profit, if it were not for SO many
worthless dogs. They are great
detriment to the agricultural in
terests of our State. If every
dog should be killed, millions
would thereby be saved to farm
ers.
King George, Td.-If we
could insure the safety of sheep
from dogs, the sale of mutton,
lambs, and wool would yield us
our highest profit.
Smyth, Vd.-Sheep and wool
raising would be a profitable bu-
slness were it not for the hundreds
of sheep-killing dogs.
WWhe, VA great many
more sheep would be kept if it
were not for fear of the dogs, since
they are thought very profitable,
both for wool and mutton.
Chatham, N. C.--Much more
..ttenfinn would be paid to sheen.