Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-11


face soil, and of course be greatly bene
hted by an operation which might be
positively injurious to grain and smaller
plants.
But what is generally considered deep
culture OF soil does not imply deeply in
verted soil, as many appear TO think, for
IN Su6solling we only break up the sub
SOIL, leaving it in its original position
beneath the surface. The benefit result
ing from this practice on all heavy, COM
pact SOILS is too widely known and gen.
orally admitted to be questioned or denied
Dy men who think as well as act. Whether
II VIII pay the farmer in all localities
where lhere are heavy subsOils to freely use
tae suosoli plow depends somewhat upon
tne VaIue OF the crops cultivated, although
The importance and value of the operation
must De 1ully admitted. The increase in
tne yleiu OF corn as result in subscribing
IN Iocaltles where this grain sells for ten
Genus per Dushel would scarcely warrant
the increase Of cost in preparing the land
IN tnls manner; but these instances do
not anect the general principle that
oeep sou Is better than shallow one, and
Will YleId more as a general rule.
Inc agrlculturist must determine for
hlmseII the exact time when these syS-
TENS OF improved culture or manipulation
OF the soil may be introduced with profit.
1t is not absolutely essential that it should
De This year or next. We would, however,
warn our readers against putting the
tlme on too long, for it is better to be
little IN advance than too late. Our
farmers, as a rule, are prone to delay,
through habit probably, the taking hold
OF new ideas and discarding the old;
hence the low average in the profits of
farming.
In producing any particular crop the
farmer must consider not only its adapta-
blllty to his soil and climate, but to the
markets in which it is to be sold. There
are certain kinds Of grain, like wheat for
instance, that are readily transported a
long distance without fear of loss, and usu.
ally command price which will admit of
considerable amount being paid Tor
freight; but oats, corn, and potatoes are
usually produced in too large quantities
and over too wide a range of country to
enable the producer to pay freight to dis
tant markets; hence, as a rule, they are
most profitable for home markets or for
feeding to stock, whereby they are con-
verted INTO more readily transported ar
ucle. The coarse, bulky productions of
the farm require condensation if they are
TO be disposed of in distant markets. This
IS one OF the many general principles in
agriculture which is too often overlooked,
and the result is loud and continued CON-
plants from farmers residing in localities
far distant from our best markets. They
have many advantages over farmers
nearer the larger cities, but in majority
OF instances they fail to see this, or use
them
we take the cost Of a farm in the older
States, and the capital required to work
it at profit, and place these side by side
with farm Of equal size in the new, we
can readily see that the latter has the adj
vantage over the former But lack of
judgment on the part of the owner in re-
spect to the system of agriculture to be
followed causes him frequently, if not in
a majority of instances, to make a poorer
exhibit at the close of the year than the
farmer OF the earlier-settled State.
we have frequently asserted that locality
makes little difference so far as regards
the profits OF farming; but that it is the
men who are engaged in the business that
cause such a wide difference in results.
The successful and unsuccessful men
found in all communities and localities
afford sufficient proof of the truth of this
assertion. In breeding and rearing ami
mails for the farm many fail to under
stand the value Of different breeds for par
tlcular purposes. Horses bred for the
race-cOurse are not the best for general
farm work, although in some instances
they may command a better price; but
the demand tor this kind Of ANIMALS is so
limited that the farmer, as a rule, has no
occasion to either keep or breed them.
Strong in muscle but not so fleet on foot
should be the horse most profitable to- the
agriculturist In rearing cattle a man
should look to results if he wishes to sue
coed. If he is DESTROYS of producing
beef he has no occasion to pay high prices
for COWS known to be valuable on account
of the richness of their milk. On the other
hand, if milk, butter and cheese are
more prOfitably raised than beef, then a
farmer would be very foolish to depend
upon breeds inferior in this respect. 1t
usually costs as much to keep an animal
unsulted to our purposes as one that is
useful, and here our principle of adapta-
ton comes in with full force.
What is true in regard to horses and
COWS is also true with sheep, hogs, chick
ems, and all the various animals as well as
crops produced on the farm. Even the
favorite dog may be worth as much as one
man in performing certain kinds of work,
but he must be selected from breed
known to possess the requisite qualifica-
tions to do what is required Of him. No
man of sense would purchase a rat terrier
to herd his sheep and drive his COWS to
and from pasture, neither will wise man
forget that there are general principles
which he must not only study but put in
practice in order to succeed in any par
ticular branch of agriculture.-New York