The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-05-07
HOW MUCH DOES FARMING PAY?

believe 1t pays as large per cent. on
he capital invested as any other business,
either manufacturing, mechanical or mer.
camille, when it is conducted with the same
intelligence and business capacity. Men
fail in all kinds of business, but we are not
to inter that failure is the necessary sequence
of transacting business, bat rather that such
men manage their business badly and not in
accordance with those principles that lead
to success
pyiIg good farms barely support their fam
lilies, when they should have surplus over
oil expenses of the farm aid family ofseveral
hundred dollars year. The question of
profit or loss is more in the man than in
the business. Some men will succeed In any
business, and others will just as surely fail
ia whatever they undertake, whether. 1t is
farming, merchandising Or manufacturing
and profits, believe we should find that the
aggregate capt tai employed in agriculture in
the State Of New York is paying as large a
per cent. of net gain as the aggregate capital
employed in any other business.
To contribute my mite towards the solus
ton of the question, allow me to give the
results of my farming, with the hope that
others may be induced to do like wise. 10 the
end that we may know how much farming
pays. Eight years ago purchased a farm
in the western part of this State New York;,
and was told that could not make It. pay
five per cent. on the investm snt. NY reply
was, 1t could not make 1t Lay ten per cent.
would quit the business. The farm, con-.
tanning about 80 acres, was badly run down :;
the buildings and fences were In the last
stages of their existence, and that part of
the farm (about one-haID which was uader
cultivation, so thoroughly worn out that the
yield of hay was only oneohalf ton to the
acre, corn about 40 bushels of ears. oats 12l
to Is bushels, and other crops in proportion.
AS fast as could get that portion of the
farm IN suitable condition it was seeded
down, and turned my attention to the 9th.
er half. which had been wholly neglected
Fart Of it was tirnbered swamp. part OF II
brush land, and the remainder a swamnv
pasture where cows mired in midsummer.
Ine first thing was to drain the land. then
the brush and part of the timber were cut
away, and now about twenty. five acres Of
that hitherto unproductye part of the farm
are under cultivation, with ten acres more
ready for tia plow as soon as the stumps can
be got out of the way.
NOW for the result. Last year nv cash
sales from the farm were 90, SIC. 81. and NV
expenses for labor, feed of teams and stoclx
repairs, tools, taxes. &c., were 81 ,zs9 .Os'
leaving net balance OF $1,7sl.2s. But the
cash sales of a farm represent only a part Of
the actual income derived from IL. r know
from previous experience that nv family
cannot live in the neighboring city, az well
as we now do, for less than $4,000 q wear
and the same style of living 10 the country
II we mad TO purchase all our family supplies
would cost not less than $500 a year. Rut
my family expenses are now only on cha,
that sum. and the other half is made nm hv
the grain, vegetables, meats, fruits. dairv
ana poultry supplies furnished by the farm.
Inc farm investment has also furnished us a
house, the rental value of which, st &c ner
cent, is $500. We also have tba re-. \,
morse ana Carriage through the year, which
would cost us In the city at least $500. To
sum up our annual income from the farm
for the past year was - :
r. 80 = ~ r Vs.. ..............&11 2l %