The Republican journal., 1876-02-17
Farm, Garden and Household.
Profitable Winter Farming.

The great drawback on successful North
ern farming lies in the fact, that for six
months IN the year, nature is at stand
still There is no production and con-
sumption goes on with accelerating ratio
\ ears ago we used TO hear an old song
which strongly illustrates the disadvantage
of farming in the older States 1t is the
argument of the farmer with his wife to
persuade her To go Vest"
-'For here we must labor each day in the field.
And the winter consumes all the summer doth
Vie a.
When the country was new, there was
mo- lack of labor for the farmer in even
the coolest weather. Clearing the land OF
trees and stumps and preparing for next
seasons operations, furnished abundant
and most profitable employment. Though
the compensation was small, there was
never lack OF something to do. Small
earnings induced economy, and naturally
resulted in prosperity, it not wealth. or
late wears all this is changed. Farmers in
winter lind very little to do, and it usually
costs any man more to live idly than when
employed The problem OF the time is to
lind some constant and profitable employ
ulent tor farmers during the winter season,
conceded. when thousands of farmers fail
,a make money even in the growing sea-
son ct we believe it can be done, and
+ done bv thousands of farmers in the
feeding and iattening of stock Where
animals are merely kept in ''store" condi-
lion through the winter there is certainly
uo uroft but an almost entire loss The
anma may be worth a tritie more in
AN la,
positive gain IN milk. wool, growth or fat
ihrrr j. slender chance for profit The
wfsest economy in iced, with shelter, is
Also needed to make liberal feeding profit
allie, and herein is the advantage OF large
operations 1t does not cost ten times as
much To feed ten cows as it does to feed
DHc, nor twice as much to care tor 90 head
80 cattle Is for %. With large buildings
suitably arranged food may be cut and
steamed, while the expense is entirely too
-reai for small operations. This does not
necessarily imply large farms, though
--e>e large feeding establishments will
generally 20 with them, and the feed used
We grown on the larm. The only success
DE-. winter feeding which we believe in is
taAi wherein grain and hay consumed on
-ae farm brings as much profit as If sold,
a.4 f this Is So excepting the cost of
,5a>partation there is as much profit in
'eeding bought grain as that grown on the
arm Where large winter feeding is
rr.c;iced on a small farm the tendency
will ne ro grow roots, and possibly grain
home buving the corn needed, and also
such other grain feed rs may be thought
hest This is the method wisely pursued
HN >lme Eastern farmers who have found
Ny experience that they can not grow corn
u, cheaply rs Western farmers will lay it
II their doors. This heavy feeding and
tuyiug of corn. bran, or other feed, rapid
y increases the fertility Of the farm. en-
abliug it to produce more and more. This
- one secret of the success of John John
~tan aS i farmer. For many years he fat
tened sheep every winter, and never but
once Hid he tail to receive a profit on the
corn and other feed consumed besides the
Iarge amount Of valuable manure The
richness of Mr. ,IohnStOn's farm, rivaling
The Dest-mauaged farms OF England, IS
doubtless due to this management. Other
farmers OF our acquaintance make good
.hIuE every winter tattening cattle, and
others still by keeping cows and selling
The mi H. 1t is a tact that, by skilltul
management and wise selection OF stock,
farmers can and do make more money in
winter than they do by their summer OPP
rratonS This is what we call superior
armng. and those who would rival it
must learn 10 adopt similar methods, max
.ug uu season OF the year barren of profit.
bat each continuously productive. Rural
New y orber.