Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-03
How to Make a Farm Pay.

We are often asked by young farmers
and gardeners what they had best grow
and how best to proceed i'll order to make
money at their occupations. This seems
a simple sort of question. 1t is almost
impossible to tell another how to make
money. The man whom we generally say
is successful is usually the one who has
quickness and sound judgment enough to
take advantage at once Of circumstances
as they arise; and as no one can fOresee
these circumstances, no one can tell any
thing about them. But, for all this there
are general principles, and, so far as the
culture Of the soil is concerned principles
which in the long run are sure - to tell
measurably on success.
One of the best Of these solid founda-
tons is thorough love Of the pursuit.
There are some men who 90 on the land
because they believe there is money in it,
and for no other reason. Once in a while
such a one succeeds The most of these
people do little more than become COM
Portable. The majority fall through 1t
is not 50 with the one whose heart and
soul is in it, He does not always succeed.
Sometimes even the greatest enthusiast
fails. But of hundred men who follow
agricultural pursuits because they love
them, as compared with a hundred who
are led into them by the money phase the
rreponderance OF wealth is largely with
the former class. One who has nc great
love for the pursuit is easily disheartened ::
but the one who loves it continues on in
spite of disaster, and soon finds out that
the experience gained by his losses is
really worth more to him than success
would have been.
But another and great principle of sue
cess is the ability to withstand the temp
tation to part with the last dollar. Many
a farmer has been ruined by profitable
crop. The gains were large, and without
waiting to consider the chances of
another such streak of good luck, the
whole profits are re-invested and debts in
CURED on the faith of those future sue
cesses which never come. This is gen
orally the starting point of ones down
ward career. Very often there is but
temporary fall in the price of grain or
other articles OF farm produce; but the
debts are due and must be paid, and thus
the crop has to be marketed at whatever
sacrifice, and this sacrifice being often
more than the whole profit of the former
year
One OF the most successful cultivators of
the soil the writer ever knew, and who is
perhaps worth at the present time S50, 900
clear of all claims against his estate. com
menced his farm life about twenty wears
ago with but 5000 in cash This was a
very small capital to begin farming with,
but he took but sir acres: and of the
money, small as it was, he put $500 away
IN savings bank, at but four per cent.
Yet he assumed obligations to the amount
OF 81 900, at six per cent. This was con-
sldered by those who knew of his plan as
a bad business operation; but the result
proved his wisdom, and he has acted
more or less on the principle ever since.
There are many who in the same time
have made as much as he has; but, as far
as we know, those who have not gathered
1t together as he has, have been aided by
eXtraneous circumstances. Some were
perhaps fortunate in selling piece of
land at high figures, or met with a run of
good luck in some other way But our
friend has had no such chances He be-
gan with a love of farm life, determina
ton to make it his sole profession, and to
this end he labored; and besides this, he
firmly and resolutely determined, come
what might, never to be caught without
a dollar in his pocket" His fortune is
the legitimate result of nothing but his
business. How few young men, with so
small a beginning as he have met with
such success; and yet, on these principles,
at least seventy-five per cent. of those who
go on the land might do quite as we'll he
has done.-Foraaeys Weekly Press.