The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-10-02
Is 1t Best to idake n Change :?

The farmer Is often puzzled by some such
difficulty as the following: If he has been
cultivating wheat rs main crop, and 1t fails
for season OF tive, he Is generally ready to
make change and try something else. The
low price of wool makes him inclined to sell
his flock tor mutton; If beef goes down but
ter and cheese will suggest themselves as II
substitute, and thus every partial or total
failure to obtain u renumerative return Tor
labor or capital invested is likely to breed
discomfort and aH inclination to make q
change of some kind. There are at this me-
ment, however, thousands offarmers as well as
men in other professions, who can look back
a few years and see where they missed 1t in
making what they supposed would be ben
etcial change in their business.
1t is an old axiom, that ITO become success
full one needs TO become proficient" end fire.
quent changes are pretty certain to prevent
one from reaching this point, no matter what
the occupation may be-. We conclude, from
the tone of the letters we frequently receive,
that a considerable portion of our subscribers
owning farms are constantly on the lookout
for an excuse to make change in the kinds
of crops cultivated. One farmer writes US
that formerly he could raise wheat at a profit,
but of late years this grain has tailed to be
remunerative, owing to light yield. The
price has not fallen, nor have the seasons va.
ried during the period named but the yield
per acre has diminished, and to this alone Is
attributed the present appropriateness OF the
crop. OF course when a man has arrived at
this point, a change of some kind Is impera-
tive. but whether it should DC an abandon
ment of a cerlaln kind of crop, or radical
change in the system of culture, becomes n
question worthy of serious consideration. !.
If wheat has ever been successful crop ia
any particular soil or region of country it is
pretty good evidence that 1t may be again.
In fact, if history teaches us anything, il is
the permanency Of our leading agricultural
products. From this we may.conclude there
is likely 10 be steady demand for the prin-
cipal products ofthe EARTH and there ID no
reason why our farmers should be so ready to
make change with every slight fuctua,iou
of prices in the market
We think that an examination OF the mar
ket prices OF wheat, rye, corn and other lead
ing kinds of grain for the past twenty-five
years will show that man stands a better
chance of making the culture OF either one or
more Of them success by uninterrupted cul-
ture during n long series ofyears than by a.
tempting to change occasionally To hit the
market. III gh prices one year are almost in
variably followed by low the next, simply be-
cause majority of our farmers have no fixed
system of rotation of crops, but are constant.
~ endeavoriAg to meet demand as unrelia-
BILE as a weathe-cock would be in showing
The points OF the compass. This constant
yacillatlon has been the ruin of many an 9TH
erwisc good farmer; for to use homely
adage, their dish Is bottom side up when.
ever 1t rams poridge."
Dat ind 4, AZ thpsp W ln
make specially OF certain crops or breeds OF
stock, and keep right along without waver-
ing, regardless of the prices of their products
10 market, are quite sure TO win IN the end.
We have known men near our large cities 10
make very considerable fortune in raising
for twenty years or more IN success
sion Moderate fortunes have been made in
raising tomatoes, onions, celery, asparagus
and similar vegetables: but lot bytrying one
hing for a year or two tlIen another, thereby
the risk of having short or small
crop in the seasons of the highest prices.
Whenever change in the products of
farm really appears To be advisable, II would
be well for the owner TO look over the prices
Tor the principal articles for the previous ten
years or more and see il the average willnot
insure continuance of the same. OF course
we o. not take into consideration any deter.
aion III inc IeftlIlty OF lne sou OF crops
cultivated; for man who permits this In one
case Is pretty certain 10 fail In whatever lac
nay undertake.; hence il is scarcely worth
while TO offer him advice. A farmer who
VIII permit the average yield per acre of wheat
70 TALL from thirty 10 ten bushels in dozen
years, ,'ould probably neglect to feed OF milk
his COWS, should he attempt TO establish a
fa:ry' consequently change from wheat TO
butter and cheese could scarcely be consid.
cred advisable. We are not disposed To argue
sgaiHi farmers making radical changes in
systems of culture, or in the character of the
products of their farms, for the thoughtful
intelligent farmer often does it greatly TO his
advantage. But the constantvsciIlatiOn from
one extreme 10 another, varying the kind of
products in a vain attempt to keep even with
has ruined ten farmers where one
las s-en becsf..:4--N. z. Sm. !