Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-10-09
Brain Work on the Farm.

l
AS an element of success in making
the farm pay, a mind having a good
practical tnrn, plays no unimportant
| part. Good soand common sense will
will do more than any one thing to
| put money, in the farmers purse, or,
better, put it in the permanent improve
ments. To start with, there must be
fixed objective point, and deternni
nation to follow some wei defined
plan of action until the result desired is
accomplished To go into the raising
of a special crop or the breeding of
choice stock, and then change to some
thing else, just when the experience ac-
quired becomes valuable, will always
keep whoever follows such course, on
every road except that which leads to
prosperity. A fixed and definite line
of action founded on the experience of
the most successful farmers in ones:
county, will, with due diligence and
economy, result in making the farm
pay. A great deal is often wasted on
the farm that might be saved TIE
proper care of the machinery now used
on the farm, makes a great difference.
AS rule the farmer who thinks, studies,
reasons and who can tell you why
he pursues certain course is the one
will be found to complain the least in
regard to hard times. IF aman who has
good health and fair ability, cannot
succeed on farm, he will be almost
certain to fail if he attempts anything
else. Is it not the desire to get over
too much land Cal too limited a capi-
tai, and paying such high wages foy
labor as are demanded, that keeps the
farmer poor? In these remarks we do
not forget the taxes, freights, unjust
legislation and many other things that
might mentioned. 1t may safely be-
set down as p in i'll that the num-
Der of acres cultivated should depend
upon the capital, and that the latter
should correspond with the former.
Farmers should have an eye to
business The writer of this has often
been impressed with the belief that the
most successful farmers are those who
lie awake and mature plans for the
coming day or week. while others
sleep. There is also great deal in
tact, but there is also great deal in
letting the brain do its share of the
work. The farmer who will never
think that it is better to feed his corn
to stock, and thereby increase its value
three fold, than to haul it to the station
in the ear and sell it for almost a song
should not expect to succeed. Ad ~
hitting that the freights are too high
and all that, thought must proceeds
muscle in order to make farming or any
other kind Of business profitable. If the
whole W est is determined to grow corn
and refuses to look into the merits OF.
producing other articles Of food which
are needed in cur western cities, kand
which are now furnished by eastern
merchants-such as canned fruits OF all
kinds, starch, and many other articles
that ought to and might be pro
duced here comparatively cheap-we
ought not to expect to make farming q
success.
The fact is, there is an evident necss-
sity of a clearer insight into our true
relation to other parts of the country,
and a more implicit reliance upon
correct statistical information. Among
the other wants of the west are, those
Of more dense population; & more
diversified industry; sufficient business
education to comprehend the situationl
better saystem Of operative effort
in fact, more brain work on tbs farm
Rxrag World.
a.