The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-04-16
Mixed Husbandry.

There Is too great tendency among
farmers 10 risk too much In specialtics.
All hogs, or cattle, or wheat, or butter
and cheese, etc. So soon as there H. a tenn
norary failure in one branch of farming
100 many abandon il and rush with all
their interests into another speciality.
The constant changing from one interest
N another Is one OF the most serious draw
hacks on the farmer. One year, from GER
tain natural causes, there Is a great tie
mand for hogs, and, without considering
the cause, or the probable future, many
nlunpe into the swine trade-the market
K flooded, and failure Is the consequence,
when the very specially which was so
suddenly abandoned would have been a
success. Cheese-making just al this time
i the mania. Americans are not heavy
consumers of cheese, like the English.
Should the market in other portions OF
the globe be gluttcd. so limited Is the de-
mand at home, sudden collapse would
be the consequence. IL would be well to
know the probable demand abroad, as
well as the approximate production at
home. Dairying must be carried on
where the land Is unfit for tillage, but
good for grazing. This Is a necessity.
Hogs can only be made profitable invest
ment where land Is prolific of corn, the
great staple for the production OF pork.
Naturally cheese and pork are not largely
produced i'm the same location, yet fire.
euently is the problem experimental on
The rich alluvial plains, where all the ce-
reals wave In yellow and golden harvests.
Il not the place for sheep husbandry still
the unthinking enthusiast launches his en-
terprise 10 learn too late there are unater-
able laws which cannot be overlooked or
set at defiance.
But there is generally such diversity
of soil and location on any farm that a
greater variety Of industry could be sue.
cessfully prosecuted than Is too often the
case. Spccialties In farming are danger
Gus, and frequently disastrous. Instead
OF devoting the entire interests TO wheat
or TO corn, there should be greater yarie-
Nv, so as 10 consume all the products OF
the farm. and give employment profitably
30 labor more days in the year. While
the farm Is rich, and capable of producing
the cereals, keep ii so by keeping flock
OF sheep, a number of swine and n suita-
bic herd OF cattle. And in arranging the
products of the farm, look to the probable
consumption of the family, and the stock
on the farm. In this way. If the wheat
rusts, the farmer Is not seriously crippled.
but can fall back on his corn, hogs, and
cattle. Should the cholera invade his
swine herd. all his hopes are not blasted
in week, for that disease does not trouble
neat cattle. Should early frosts nip his
corn, IL will not be a total failure, a. his
cattle, sheep and hogs can use IT when 1t
otherwise would be drug In the market.
There are thousands of reasons why there
should be more mixed husbandry, and
none why a man should risk his entire
farm and energies TO one specially. The
world is full of the wrecks Of such Had
vised enterprises. Some of the noblest
men have been discouraged and ruined by
the failure in the crop or in the market OF
the only article on which they had risked
all their interest. Instead of abandoning
present pursuits, make II more diversified
not hastily and rashly. but gradually and
safely. Let mind and muscle work har-
moniously together. Study To be al no
time in danger of being wrecked by the
failure of single article Of produce
Des Moines Register.