The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-02-02
Remedies for Hard Times.
D EliIor b Lhe Detnolt Tnbune.

do not propose to dispute Pla-
TO as TO his theory of hard times
among farmers, (%althOugh think
he enumerates but a few of the
causes,) but | wish merely to
make some suggestions that |
think would tend TO improve the
condition ofthe farmers.
First-Farmers cultivate too
much land. !; they would sell
one half Of their land they could
pay that mortgage, or a part OF il,
that Plato speaks of, then put the
same labor on what is left that
they now do on the whole, and in
a few years they would get more
value from the half than they did
from the whole. Second, another
drain on farmers resources, with
out any advantage, is the great
amount OF fences built and kept
in repair; he should fence in lar
ger lots and discard road fences
wholly. Third, he should save,
make and buy, all of the manure
he can, remembering the better
condition he keeps MS land in,
the less il is affected by unfavor-
able conditions Of the seasons.
Fourth, get better stock and take
better care Of it. For work, milk or
beef, the Herefords crossed on
the Durhams do well. DO not let
the cattle run out in the cold
winter weather, but have warm
barns, and keep them, feed well,
give a good bed, and keep clean,
and one will soon find a profit in
raising stock. Raise steers that
will dress a thousand pounds at
three to four years old, which is
easily done, and it will pay to
ship toEastern markets; butthose
little, scrawny cattle, that we see
around the straw-stacks, SILVER
ing in the cold storms, would not
pay the shipping expenses, for
they will not sell for more than
one half as much a hundred as
the big corn-fed steers. JACK.
Elsie, Mich.
Here are some excellent sug-
gestions, whatever may be the
theories Of political economists
as to the rate OF interest on mon
ey, every practical farmer and
business operator knows that nei-
ther farm lands nor manufacture
ing operations, as a general rule,
pay 10 cent. on capital invested.
nor anything near the rate in the
case of farming.
We understand hat money
should command q higherrate Of
interest that is derived from in
vestments in land, because the
latter are more secure; yet it may
be well said as against this posi-
ton Of capitalists that a first mort
gage on Alarm is as good security
as the farmitsclf.
We wanta strong enactment to
regulate the rate of interest on
money. Il should be reduced to
six per cent. Under our law.
banks and money lenders get all
they can-124 per cent. always at
banks; from that up to 20 pei
cent. is demanded by every old
Antonio in the country.-EDIIoB
TRIBUNE.
The above was written for Nor
thern farmers, bit the same ap
plies to u.s.. Our State laws will
not allow us without road fen
ces, but we do undertake to cul-
tivate fartoo many acres, in many
cases, and we do waste the ma
nure and other fertilizers about
us, taking off crop after crop and
putting back nothing. Our cat
tie are equal to or worse than
none, half fed, poorly sheltered,
scrawny, raw-boned stock, cost
ing every year more than they
are worth. Money borrowed at
ten per cent. will starve out nine
of every ten Of our farmers. We
want the law allowing such a
rate Of nterestrepealed. Let us
think Of these matters; spring IS
near us, another season of farming
will soon commence, and as we
20 to the fields mayit be to make
the year 1877 the best one for our
crops, the best one for our lands.
the best one for our stock that has
eyer yet passed over our heads.