The daily gazette., 1876-12-26
Too Easily discouraged,

The fact is patent 10 every one Ianllllar
with farmers and farming that,as class, |
agriculturists are very discouraged when
the price of any kind of farm produce
goes below profitable point. OF course
it cannot be expected rhat men will cling
very tenaciously to an article that will not
command price in market sufhclent TO
pay for its productions; still, where the
fluctuations in price are likely to afford
an opportunity to occasionally return fair
profit, it may be worth a mans while to
take his chances in reaping q fair or large
reward for his labor during series of
years.
thas become almost an axiom among
experienced farmers who have watched
the markets closely that over production
and low prices one year mean scarcity
and higher prices the next. The cause OF
this arises in great measure from the
readiness with which n large numberlof
producers abandon crop which fails for
one season to command II remuneratlve
price. For instance, last year potatoes
Welded well and there was large acre
age planted in all the Northern States;
the results were glutted markets and
very low prices. Hundreds of farmers
| this year planted only what they thought
would be sufficient for their own use, de-
caring that "raising potatoes for market
was overdone;" but with n short crop in
consequence of contracted acreage potato
beetles, and drought, there is great
scarcity of potatoes, and they command
higher prices than for many years. Those
farmers in the more favored regions who
were not discouraged by low prices last
! wear and put in the usual quantity Of
| seed, are obtaining as much money Tor
| one seasons crop as, under ordinary cir
cunstances, they would for two or three.
We once knew man who planted GER
tain dumber of acres to cabbages every
season, for twenty years, without any
| variation, and the results were moder-
ate fortune. He started out with the idea
that cabbages would always be in demand
in New York markets at some price, and
that he could raise them as cheap as any
body. Besides, he probably knew that
when there was an abundant crop and
low prices, there would be enough dis
couraged growers who would igive up
cabbage raising to cut down the supply
the following season and raise the price,
which would enure to his benefit. Scores
of such instances of persistent adherence
to the production of one ortwo articles
, for series of years might be named, II II
were necessary to show the Importance
1 of adopting some system or policy upon
the farm, and not abandoning it the first
time it failed to give a profit on the Ia
Dor and capital invested.
Men in other occupations frequently
labor half d lifetime before realizing
more than bare living, Iand often moi
: even that; besides which sthey kusually
. run great risks in order to secure even
chance for large gains, and we can see
| no good reason why the farmer should
not Occasionally do the same thing. In
fact. we believe if farmers would run
more risks in trying to produce larger
crops and better animals they would be
gamers in the end. There are certainly
as good opportunities for speculation III
, agriculture as anywhere else, ana lnslail
ces are not wanting where men cogmzan
of this have made their money very
. easily and with far more certainty, thar
in what are termed purely commercial
pursuits.
The man that can produce forty bush
els of wheat per acre on land where an
p other failed to raise twenty, shows an
ability upon which it is easy to put q
value in dollars and cents. The same
skill, or by whatever name we choose te
designate it, would not be satisfied with
J cows worth fifty dollars each If there
were others worth hundred, Tor 1t costs
no more to raise and keep the latter thar
| II does the former. A farmer with small
capital cannot, of course, make these
j beneficial changes as rapidly as the one
with abundant means, but he can do II
inst as thoroughly in time, if he knows
how to begin and what he wants, and
e then persistently labors to procure it
II is not positively necessary to success
= that a man should purchase herd Ct
I throughbred cattle at the start, even II
N a change of that is desired; but cali n
Y few days or weeks old will do TO COM
j mence with, and even grade animal is
4 better | than nothing at all, The same is
I true as regards attempts to increase the
n n Weld or quality Of crops raised; a square
It rod of ground thoroughly prepared, OF an
l. ounce Of seed whea or other grain will
\ do TO begin with, if manis too poor to
u accomplish more,