Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-04-03
To Young Beginners.

YOU'VE beginners on the farm are too
apt to "go it with rush." How often
we see the young farmer bidding reck-
lessly at auction sales for verything that
he thinks may be of use to him; the money
with which to stock his farm burns in
his pocket, or he longs to use his check
book. Too often he collects around him
miscellaneous articles, all good in their
way, but perhaps not actual necessities.
Anything that can be done without in the
start should be left out of his first inven-
tory of stock.
1t is thought that such and such should
be bought now, because he may not have
money to buy it when required. Such a
principle is fatal a certain amount of
general stock is Of course necessary. Do
not buy one extra pillow nor harrow, and
wait until you are sure you can work
them to advantage ere you invest in the
more expensive machinery of the farm.
Cash is more valuable for the first year
upOn q farm than it is at any subsequent
period; and the beginner should, ere he
open his check book, or thrust his hands
into his pockets, pause and consider
whether what he is about to buy is an alb
solute necessity.
Try and get on year or so without eX-
pensive drills, separators, and especially
without fancy buggies and fast trOtting
horses
Take time, and know exactly what va
riety, shape, or patent of any particular
implement Of husbandry will suit your
special farm and circumstances ere you
invest, and, above all, endeavor to buy
everything as far as possible during the
first year or so from the proceeds Of the
fo,p 1offivr furr Oh
keep down to the lowest figure, making
the farm pay for as many implements and
as much stock as possible
You pay large original sum for the
property (if rented, that rent represents
the principally; try and have such large
investment as much as possible Ieinvested
in collateral or chattel securities upon
itself.
You may apply the same principles to
the purchase of live stock. It is wonder
full how rapidly they will increase upon
the farm. Buy few at first, and pay
more than they are considered worth
rather than buy poor beasts. Depend
upon it, a good beast at more than its
value is cheaper than runt at half price,
because if you do pay too much for a
superior animal, the money will be re-
turned in its offspring.
Again, be very careful in beginning to
improve. Much money is sunk in sud-
den rush into permanent improvements.
We know man who bought badly
fenced farm, with poor buildings, and
several wet spots upon it for thirty dollars
an acre. He went heavily into improve
ments, bought cedar rails, and fenced
outside and in, built commodious barns,
and underdrained his wet spots at once.
His capital would not stand it; his fields
inside his new fences were only half
worked, his cattle he had soon to sell to
meet pressing demands, until his com
modlous barns were only quarter filled;
his root cellar for 1000 bushels received
sell for less than half the advance per
acre that he had expended on permanent
Improvement.
Remember, if you don't make your
farm pay you can't get purchasers to pay
for improvements that they have not
made under their own supervision and on
their own plans.
Beware of getting lot of hands fenc-
ing, ditching, draining and building at
first. Do no more than is absolutely
necessary to keep your fences stock proof
and your barns fit to hold produce and
cattle
1t is but poor farm that will not grad.
ually pay for its own improvement. De-
vote all your energies-they will assured
ly be fully occupied-to getting your
land into thorough and systematic order,
and then, when your farm begins to put
balance Of profit in your hands, it will
be time enough to turn your attention
and your surplus money to permanent
Improvements. Canada Farmer.