The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-01-28
Success In Farming.

seven years. This is a simple little
truth, but it is the cornerstone of bank
ing, and the secret of the wonderful
success that steady and judicious money
lending sometimes exhibits. The capac-
ity OF single dollar to double itself at
interest in seven years does not strike us
as of much value; but when we reflect
that multiples of one dollar possess the
same capacity; that 800 loaned at 10
per cent, compounded in little over
seven years, becomes 5000; that 81 900
becomes $4,000; that 5000 becomes
$4,000, and SIC, 900 becomes $50, 900
the immense value of the quiet, invisible
process becomes apparent. 1t is true
there are hazards in banking and money
lending which retard and impair the
multiplication; but the naked truth, as
we have stated t., is the basis of what
we call legitimate banking, and skill in
finance consists largely, if not mainly,
in avoiding the risks and dangers to
which the process of increase is exposed.
But banking is not the only vocation
that enjoys the advantage of this capac-
ity of wealth to reproduce and multiply
itself; other vocations may enjoy it in
gre alter or less degree-farming, perhaps,
in a greater degree than all others.
Farmers are accustomed to complain
that they can have nothing but what
they dig out of the earth by hard labor;
but let us see about that. Take a farmer
who has not a dollar to deposit in
savings bank, but who has grain of corn
to deposit in the rich soil of his farm, If
he makes the deposit under the proper
conditions and does his duty afterward;
if he tills the soil around it, keeps it clear
of weeds, and leaves the rest to nature,
in six months it will return him an hun
dred fold, five hundred fold, thousand
fold for his trouble. Instead Of dollar
doubling itself in seven years he will
have grain of corn multiplying into
thousand grains in six months; and, if
he plants the thousand grains the.follow-
ing season, under proper conditions and
does his duty they will grow into 1,OO0,-
600 grains.
This capacity of grain of corn to null
tiply itself is the foundation principle
of farming, and the center secret of sue
cess in it, just as the capacity of dollar
loaned at interest to double itself is the
basis of banking. Every grain of corn in
power, and if that bushel of corn be
into q thousand bushels, just as single
grain expands into thousand grains.
There are hazards in farming as well as
in banking that must be taken into &C.
count-and here is where the farmers
skill must come in to guard his grain and
every other growing thing on his place
against these risks. All skill in farming,
and all the advice and directions given
in agricultural books and papers about
blowing, planting, cultivating, harvest
ing, pruning, feeding, fattening and shell
tering come to this point at last, viz:
the giving to his planted grain, grass,
trees and vines the conditions they
require for growth and the protection of
them against the risks of weather and
insects. 1t is nature that makes the
farmer rich; but nature sternly exacts
his cooperation. He must do his part
fully and fairly and she will Go hers.
She will not be defrauded-indeed, she
cannot be defrauded; and in this part
nership between nature and the farmer,
in which nature contributes light, heat,
snow, rain and vital force, on the simple
condition that the farmer take proper
advantage of them, he must comply with
his part of the agreement it he expects
to become successful. He must plant at
the proper time; he must pillow deep as a
protection against drought; he must keep
his soil in good heart, either by manur-
ing or by resting, grazing and turning
under green crops; he must keep down
the weeds, and thus allow all the
substance to go to his crops he must sup
ply his cows, mares, sows, ewes and chick
ems with the requisite conditions to
healthful and rapid multiplication
abundant feed, water, warmth and shell
ter; he must plant choice fruit-trees
beautifully, and in favorable situations,
on his farm, which shall grow while he
sleeps, and bring forth their harvest in
due time; and he must learn by expert
ment and study to pillow, plant, cut,
prune at the best time, SO as to invite
to his crops the developing forces OF ma
ture ct the moment of their highest &C.
tivity. Let him do these things, not for
one year, nor for two, only, but all the
time, and wait patiently for the result
meantime keeping out Of debt and hav-
ing a. little to do with those who loan
money ct 10 per cent. as possible-and
his reward win come. At the end of
three years he will begin 10 perceive the
benefits Of the experiment; ct the end
Of i've years be will find that the
few breeding animals he began with
have multiplied i've, ten and twenty
fold, and that the amount of annual
producta that he has to sell Il steadily
increaainG; d the end of ten years he wall
ind that. Tia farm which Naa worth ten